MILLCREEK, Utah (ABC4) – Thursday, crews responded to the scene of a massive fire at a construction site in Millcreek.
The fire broke out Wednesday, and 24 hours later, crews are still monitoring hotspots. Fourteen businesses experienced severe damage.
The fire marshal and the buildings’ insurance agents are in the area Thursday afternoon, assessing the damage.
“I kept thinking please, put more water on my roof to save my roof,” Hyland Pharmacy owner Glade Baldwin tells ABC4.
The fire is out, but now the emotions are settling in.
“Fear, unbelief, it was so hot and smoky my eyes went red,” Baldwin recounts.
Baldwin, owner of Highland Pharmacy, describes what it was like having to evacuate Wednesday.
“About five o’clock in the afternoon, someone came over, opened up the door, said ‘get out of the building, it’s on fire,'” Baldwin describes.
The construction site in Millcreek erupted into flames.
“I stepped out and I looked back and the flames were already almost to the top of the crane, so I went back in the pharmacy, grabbed the terabit hard drive back up, make sure my narcotics were in a safe, and locked it and came out,” says Baldwin.
Inside Baldwin’s pharmacy, you can see broken glass, water, and smoke damage.
Cy Waldron is part owner of the building.
“Dealing with the insurance, trying to help our tenants relocate temporarily until we fix the building up and get it back into operation,” Waldron tells ABC4.
Baldwin says it could take months.
“They said it might take three to six months with large crews coming in and removing sheetrock and removing ceilings,” he explains.
Baldwin says it is unclear what will happen to the pharmacy next and he is thankful no one was hurt, and for the first responders who put the fire out.
One person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
Crews will be on scene for several more days and the community is asked to stay out of the area to give crews space to work.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
