Fire torches side of complex at Gardens South, displaces occupants

Written by Mori Kessler
July 26, 2018

ST. GEORGE – Firefighters responded to a fire at the Gardens South condominiums Thursday night that torched the side of a building.

The St. George Fire Department received the report of a structure fire at 161 W. 950 South around 7:45 p.m. While en route, the crew of one of the firetrucks could see smoke and flames coming from the area, St. George Fire Battalion Chief Ken Guard said.

St. George Fire Battalion Chief Ken Guard is featured in the video above.

The aftermath of a barbecue fire that torched the side of a condominium complex in the Gardens South community, St. George, Utah, July 26, 2018 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

At the scene, firefighters found a fire on the outside of one of the multifamily units that make up the Gardens South community.

Before being extinguished, the fire damaged two outdoor decks – one rather extensively, Guard said – and also destroyed a power box and four air conditioning units on the side of the building.

A crew from St. George Energy Services was also at the scene and shut off power to the building.

The fire was contained to the outside and is estimated to have caused $30,000 in damage.

“At this point it looks accidental,” Guard said. “(There’s) potential that a barbecue started the fire.”

Three people were home in the unit next to the fire and will be spending the night elsewhere, Guard said. No one was home in the other units, as they appear to be rentals used by people from out of town.

The Fire Department responded with 13 firefighters and six firetrucks. Gold Cross Ambulance and St. George Police were also at the scene.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler@STGnews

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