SALT LAKE CITY – The flames are out, the cleanup is underway, and now the owner of 2H exports is trying to figure out how he’s going to move forward following a two-alarm fire.
The first call came in around 4 a.m. Tuesday, and first responders were immediately dealing with active flames and heavy smoke near 1700 South and Main Street.
They quickly called the second alarm, and for the next three hours 36 firefighters contained and then doused the flames. It turns out the fire was burning two semitrailer boxes full of used clothing that were just days away from being shipped out.
Owner Hassan Soweidan has been running this used clothing export business for more than two decades, the last six years at this location.
He said this will definitely be a setback, but he’s extremely grateful to the efforts of firefighters for keeping the flames away from the main building, which prevented an even bigger loss.
“There is no electricity right now, and once they get the electricity we have to do what we can to get back and move forward, Soweidan said. “Because what happened happened; we can’t just sit down and cry about it. We have to be positive and move forward.”
After the flames were doused and with some of the material still smoldering, Salt Lake City officials brought in a front loader to begin the clean-up process.
Soweidan said the loss is extensive, possibly exceeding $100,000.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Soweidan said he will attempt to be back up and running as quickly as possible.
