Two businesses in Provo were consumed by flames in a late-night fire near the intersection of 500 West and 800 North. According to KSL, the fire impacted both Nova Ink and Ford's Meat Locker, yet no injuries were reported.
The blaze was first reported at about 11:47 p.m., with Provo Fire Department's Capt. Jeanie Atherton indicated that the fire originated at Ford's Meat Locker. The crews tried to combat the fire from inside at first, but "deteriorating conditions" made it unsafe; firefighters were ordered to exit, having to close parts of the nearby roads, Atherton detailed to KSL.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with the actual point of origin within the meat processing facility yet to be determined. As KUTV reported, firefighters worked through the night and into the morning to extinguish the 30-foot flames and address hotspots amid the debris. Ford's Meat Locker, a staple since 1944 known for processing wild game meat, according to the company's website, has been destroyed. The print shop and car dealership nearby were affected but were later deemed safe to access, KUTV mentioned.
Social media responses to the fire expressed loss and heartbreak. "Many have already reached out, so I'm sharing with a heavy heart that my husband's family business, which has been part of their legacy for over 80 years, burned down last night, and it has been a devastating loss. We're heartbroken, but so thankful everyone is safe," a family member connected to Ford's Meat Locker said on Facebook, as KSL reported. Meanwhile, Fox 13 added that the fire is believed to have started on the NovaInk side of the building, according to officials, and it spread throughout the entire structure. "As soon as I left her house, I saw the flames and the sirens and fire trucks, so I was confused," an eyewitness, Taegen Boyer, told Fox 13.
