OGDEN, Utah — On Sunday, firefighters were still putting out what was left of a large fire that erupted in Ogden the day before.
“It’s times like these that define the character of a community,” Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski said during a press conference.
Around 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, a blaze started at a 5-story apartment building under construction on 22nd Street between Lincoln Avenue and Grant Avenue.
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“Because of the wind coming from the east and the west and the fire starting somewhere within the interior building, it spread fast,” said Ogden Fire Department Chief Mike Mathieu.
The blaze spread quickly, causing damage to nearby buildings, including DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts, a K-12 charter school. In addition, the blaze’s embers caused spot fires two blocks away, Mathieu said.
Investigators are currently ruling out potential causes for Saturday’s fire.
“The only thing we have entering the building that could provide an ignition source right now is the electrical cords coming from the temporary power. We’ve ruled out every potential ignition source that the contractor could’ve brought to the table,” Mathieu said “There were no heaters in the building and there was no sheetrock in the building. So, there was no need for salamander heaters or other types of devices.”
Mathieu said they found a generator on-site in the center of the building but have ruled that out as one of the potential causes, too.
The fire caused damage to the DaVinci Academy’s double-pane windows on the east side of the school closest to the fire. Students and staff will not return to school on Monday due to the damage, according to Mathieu.
“When these apartment buildings are under this phase of construction, they’re really a target hazard to fire departments,” Mathieu said. “They’re so vulnerable to the smallest of fires. They can proliferate and it’s very difficult to slow them down.”
This is an active investigation. If you have footage of the fire, please contact the Ogden Fire Department at 801-629-8069.
