Downtown Salt Lake City fire damages five businesses; city estimates about $5 million in losses

Salt Lake City officials on Tuesday described a large downtown blaze that began in a restaurant kitchen and spread through ceiling voids, damaging five neighboring businesses and causing what the city estimates will be approximately $5 million in losses.

"I'm Carl Leeb, Salt Lake City fire chief," Leeb said as he opened the briefing and described the response to a cooking fire at the London Bell that was dispatched at about 8:40 p.m. He said it was a "first alarm commercial assignment, which requires, 4 engines and 2 fire trucks," and that the response escalated to a second alarm at 9:21 p.m. and a third alarm at 9:42 p.m. in the evening.

Chief Leeb said crews ensured patrons were evacuated on arrival and that "we had 3 minor firefighter injuries. No injuries to civilians." He said roughly 78 firefighters and about 20 pieces of apparatus responded, and crews remained on scene until about 7:30 a.m. when a loss stop was called. Leeb described the fire spreading through the small void between the ceiling and the roof in the kitchen area, which required a largely defensive, aerial operation because it was unsafe to put crews inside the buildings.

Mayor Menenhall, who addressed the media after the chief, called the incident "a tragic loss for Salt Lake City" and named several affected establishments in the downtown entertainment district, including Los Tapatios, London Bell, Whitehorse and Whiskey Street. She thanked the Salt Lake City Fire Department and mutual-aid partners and said the city's economic development team is on scene working with business and building owners.

"We anticipate it's approximately $5,000,000 in loss through the 5 buildings and associated damages," Chief Leeb said. The mayor said the city will stand up an emergency loan fund offering no-interest loans to help owners move forward once insurance assessments are complete, and that the city would try to expedite permitting and inspections to help businesses reopen more quickly.

Officials said the police department provided a drone that helped identify heat spots in the ceiling, and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Salt Lake County Health Department monitored air quality overnight and continue sampling. Leeb said the fire's origin remains under investigation and "investigation such as this could take, days to probably a couple weeks."

Leeb provided additional details about the three injured firefighters: one with a broken ankle, another treated for smoke inhalation and dehydration, and a third who suffered abrasions after being briefly trapped by falling debris; all were reported to be recovering.

City officials urged the public to avoid Main Street at 300 South while operations were under way but said transit (the light-rail/TRAX line) was operating and the area would reopen for routine business as conditions allow. Mayor Menenhall also highlighted worker impacts and said the city would share information about tenant and employee support, citing an existing tenant resource program run with the Community Development Corporation that offers housing navigation and funding assistance.

Officials did not provide a cause for the ignition and said inspection records exist but the chief did not have dates for the last inspections at the affected buildings. Leeb noted that many downtown buildings predate modern code retrofits and that some safety systems may apply only to kitchen areas or to buildings renovated to current standards.

The city said it appreciated support from Unified Fire, West Valley and South Salt Lake fire departments and 9-1-1 dispatchers. Investigators and public-health officials will continue to monitor conditions and the city will follow up with affected business owners about relief and next steps.