A bomb threat call sent workers and families scrambling out of The Road Home’s Midvale family shelter on Wednesday, as emergency crews swept the building and surrounding area before giving the all-clear.
The shelter, located at 529 West 7300 South, was evacuated while fire and explosive-detection teams searched the site as a precaution. After the sweep turned up no device, employees were allowed to return and operations resumed.
Evacuation and all-clear
Staff were told they had roughly 30 minutes to get everyone out so authorities could secure the scene, according to KSLTV. Unified Fire Authority spokeswoman Kelly Bird told KSLTV that crews found no evidence of an explosive device, and officials cleared workers to head back inside later in the day.
Not an isolated incident in Utah
Authorities say this call fits into a recent pattern of hoax bomb threats across Utah that have triggered searches, shelter-in-place orders and campus sweeps. Earlier this month, a similar automated threat prompted a shelter-in-place at the Westgate Hotel in Park City, as reported by KPCW.
About the Midvale shelter
The Midvale Family Resource Center, listed at 529 West 9th Avenue, is operated by The Road Home and provides year-round emergency shelter and case management for families, according to Homeless Shelter Directory. Coverage of shelter capacity and interim-housing projects has described the Midvale facility as a key family shelter in the Salt Lake Valley, running at or near capacity while leaders add more housing options, per News From The States.
Legal and safety fallout
Utah law does not treat fake bomb scares lightly. Hoax bomb threats involving supposed weapons of mass destruction can be charged as felonies, and courts may order those convicted to reimburse government agencies for the cost of their response. The relevant criminal code and reimbursement rules are detailed in state statutes summarized by FindLaw.
Investigators have not yet identified a suspect, and the case remains open, according to KSLTV. Shelter staff said residents were moved safely during the scare and that operations returned to normal once the building was cleared.
