Lookie-loos delay fire department response to St. George fire that damages 6 structures

Written by Alysha Lundgren
April 8, 2022

ST. GEORGE — St. George firefighters responded to a multiple-alarm structure fire late Thursday afternoon that sent a large, dark plume of smoke into the sky seen across the city.

The scene of a structure fire at 2700 East and 2650 East, St. George, Utah, April 4, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News

Damage was reported primarily in yards and outbuildings in a neighborhood a couple of blocks south of Pine View High School. However, two trailers were also affected. One trailer had burn damage on its rear exterior and the other was burning inside, St. George Fire Department Chief Robert Stoker said. Six buildings in total were damaged — three on 2700 East and three on 2650 East.

No injuries to residents or responders were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Stoker said.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m., a fire was reported to the St. George Fire Department at 2700 East. It was originally believed to be a brush fire, but when firefighters arrived they found clouds of smoke and a fire blazing in the backyard of one of the homes, Stoker said.

Stoker added fire crews had a difficult time getting to the scene due to traffic.

“Numerous cars, people that had no business being in the area, were pulling in and blocking our way,” he said. “So, again, we request those that want to look at the fire to please stay a distance away and leave access to emergency services. It did delay our response a little bit trying to get into the fire.”

Multiple power lines were down, which posed a risk to residents and firefighters, so the St. George Energy Services Department temporarily shut off power in the area, Stoker said. The city was working to restore power while firefighters were still at the scene. Other services were also disconnected, including water and gas, until it was safe to reconnect them.

The sidewalks were filled with citizens, both residents and non-residents. One resident asked firefighters to check on her cats and a firefighter nodded and told her they would. The cats were ultimately located OK.

Ladder sprayer was employed to douse the flames at N 2700 E on Thursday evening, April 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jake Howard, St. George News.

St. George resident Denise Mikesell and her husband brought their hoses help, Mikesell said in an email to St. George News. She said they watched as flames jumped from one property to the next.

The fire department was determining which residents would be allowed to reenter their homes and who would be displaced temporarily at approximately 7:45 p.m., Stoker said.

Gold Cross Ambulance, Red Cross, the St. George Police Department and Washington City Mutual Aid also responded to the scene. Stoker said the Santa Clara and Ivins Fire Departments covered the St. George Fire Department’s calls while they responded to the fire.

This report is based on statements from the St. George Fire Department, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alysha Lundgren joined the St. George News team in 2022. She began her career as a freelancer, writing resource articles for families of children with disabilities. She's also covered topics such as astronomy, recreation and nature. Originally from Nevada, Alysha fell in love with Utah quickly after moving to Cedar City. In her free time, she enjoys wandering and photographing Utah's gorgeous landscapes or hunkering down in a blanket to play video games or read a good book.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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