Provo fire investigation may take weeks to determine findings; nearby school untouched by the flames
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- The aftermath of a Provo construction site fire is shown Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
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- The aftermath of a Provo construction site fire is shown Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
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- Firefighters respond to a fire Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at a construction site at 1422 E. 1600 South in Provo.
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- Firefighters respond to a fire Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at a construction site at 1422 E. 1600 South in Provo.
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- Firefighters respond to a fire Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at a construction site at 1422 E. 1600 South in Provo.
A light stench of fire smoke could be smelled Monday morning at the site where four new condominium buildings were in the process of being built in southeast Provo.
But after a fire ripped through three of the mostly wood-framed structures Saturday morning, only one of those buildings remains amid piles of burnt rubble.
Officials are now looking into what caused the massive overnight inferno.
Provo Fire & Rescue says it was alerted about a fire at a construction site located at 1422 E. 1640 South just before 3 a.m. Saturday.
Firefighters arrived to find high-rising flames and smoke coming from the structures.
The intensity of the blaze required the assistance of fire crews from Springville and Mapleton.
No injuries were reported, but Provo fire officials said current estimated damages were around $4.5 million.
Utility crews from Provo Power also replaced multiple burnt poles that caught fire during the blaze, leaving thousands of residents without service throughout the day.
The investigation into what caused the fire is now well underway, but Provo Fire & Rescue says it may be some time before a definite determination is made.
A detective from the Provo Police Department is assisting in the investigation, as are federal investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Provo Fire Capt. Jeanie Atherton told the Daily Herald on Monday that local agencies spent the remainder of the weekend working with the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office and ATF examining the scene and evidence. She added that it may be a few weeks or months before they have a final report.
Saturday’s incident in Provo draws some similarities to another construction site fire just two weeks prior in Ogden.
On Jan. 25, flames torched a five-story apartment complex that also was under construction.
As the Standard-Examiner reported, the fire damaged some nearby structures, and investigators quickly announced that arson as the cause, resulting in the arrest of a juvenile boy.
The Ogden fire marshal also noted a desire to address concerns of security at local construction sites. He told the Standard-Examiner that he was looking to collaborate with other fire marshals on ways to mitigate fire risks at vulnerable sites.
Lynn Schofield, fire marshal with Provo Fire & Rescue, said the agency encourages developers and construction companies to consider security measures to keep their build sites safe from a fire, but he added it’s not something officials can require.
“We try to remind them that when you get to that vulnerable stage, you have to have some kind of security,” Schofield said.
He noted the Provo site that caught fire Saturday has security cameras. Any other methods of security to be considered would be at the discretion of the construction company.
In the meantime, investigators are looking into each possible factor and are asking for the public’s help with any witness video or footage that will help authorities determine the cause.
Local school unharmed by flames
Another parallel between the Provo and Ogden incident was the close proximity to schools.
The Ogden construction site fire sat between DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts’ elementary school and distance learning center.
Portions of the school’s campus sustained minor damages and resulted in several remote learning days as crews assessed the damage.
Saturday’s fire in Provo did not reach Treeside Charter Elementary School, which sits just south of the construction site, though school officials said some parents expressed concerns about potential damage and air quality from the lingering smoke given the close proximity to the fire.
Executive Director Rachel Brunson said the building did not sustain any damage, and because the power was disconnected during the inferno, the ventilation system did not pull smoke from the fire into the building.
Winds also were blowing the smoke away from the school.
Brunson said that after communicating throughout the weekend with the fire department, which was said to be monitoring air quality conditions, it was determined the school should be safe for students and staff to return Monday.
Ironically, she said all of the school’s classroom filters had been changed Friday. But out of an abundance of caution, they changed the filters again Monday and turned on all of their classroom air purifiers.
“We were very fortunate that the winds were blowing the way they were. We were fortunate that our power was off, so we didn’t have any smoke sucked into the building, and we didn’t have any damage, as far as I can tell,” Brunson told the Daily Herald when reached Monday.
She said some parents still opted to keep their children at home Monday and took the option for an “educational experience activity” with their kids so they wouldn’t get marked absent.
