MILLCREEK, Utah — The damage from Wednesday's large fire in Millcreek is estimated to be in the millions as crews now attempt to figure out how the blaze started.
More than 60 firefighters from several different agencies helped the Unified Fire Authority after the fire erupted around 5:30 p.m. at an apartment complex under construction just across the street from The Brickyard.
VIDEO: Massive construction site fire seen across Salt Lake Valley
Since it was basically a wooden frame, the fire grew very big, very quickly.
A 7-member fire investigative team will now attempt to learn how the fire started, which is going to be a long and painstaking process because it was such a huge fire, leaving a giant footprint over an area of more than a full block.
Because local fire investigators are already having a very busy summer, UFA is calling in some federal reinforcements to help out.
“Just due to the nature of the incident, the dollar amount associated with it, we’re looking at the millions of dollars in damage right now," said Ryan Love with the UFA.
Love says 14 businesses were compromised during the fire, as well as the large apartment complex under construction.
"We have a couple large cranes that are overhanging this incident right now that have been impinged by fire," said Love. "The first thing that we have to do is remove those cranes so that way we can get our team inside to be able to figure out what exactly happened.”
In the meantime, officials are asking people to stay away from the area and alerting them that 1300 East will be closed between Brickyard Road and 3300 South.
