SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Fire crews with the Salt Lake City Fire Department were up through the night battling massive flames on Thursday, June 27.
The fire department said crews were on the scene of a three-alarm fire near 3000 West and 900 South just after midnight. The site of the fire was reportedly at Pallet Express, a locally owned company buying and selling wooden pallets.
The Salt Lake City Fire Department said there were a “number” of explosions at the scene, including a propane tank. Overnight wind also complicated the blaze with the fire department calling the gusts “problematic” for containment.
The call was quickly escalated to a three-alarm fire and took the combined efforts of 70 firefighters, seven fire engines, and five fire trucks to put out. Due to the scale of the fire, crews were forced to take a defensive position early on, meaning firefighters worked to put out the flames without entering the building.
Photos shared by the Salt Lake City Fire Department show massive flames rising over shipping containers and a large plume of smoke coming out of the fire.
Just after 3 a.m., the Salt Lake City Fire Department said crews will remain on the scene throughout the night extinguishing hotspots.
The overnight blaze caused severe damage to the Pallet Express and its surrounding property. The fire also affected three nearby businesses and knocked down power lines in the area.
As crews continue to work the scene, 900 South will remain closed between 2700 West and 3200 West. The public is asked the avoid the area. Officials expect it to remain closed throughout most of the day on Thursday.
It is currently unclear what sparked the flames and an investigation is currently ongoing. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this article as more information becomes available.
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