Salt Lake City rallies to recover after Main Street blaze
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A fire tore through a prominent part of Salt Lake City's downtown area Monday night, destroying several bars and restaurants. Photo: Kim Bojórquez/Axios
A towering blaze that tore through restaurants and bars anchoring downtown Salt Lake City's nightlife on Monday is being met with a rapid push to rebuild.
Why it matters: The Main Street fire reduced some of the city's most beloved gathering spots to piles of ash and rubble, dealing a heavy blow to a stretch of downtown that has been lauded as a model for post-pandemic recovery.
Driving the news: The fire that began at London Belle on Monday night spread to Los Tapatios, Whiskey Street and White Horse, housed in 1920s-era buildings, causing an estimated $5 million in damage, according to fire officials.
- About a half-dozen more businesses experienced minimal damage, Salt Lake City Fire chief Karl Lieb told Axios Tuesday morning.
- Three firefighters, including one who was trapped by fallen roof debris, suffered injuries, including a broken ankle and smoke inhalation. No civilians were hurt, per officials.
- It could take up to a couple of weeks to determine the fire's cause, according to Lieb.
The latest: Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told reporters Tuesday the city was making impacted business owners aware of its emergency loan program, which provides no-interest loans to cover costs once insurance assessments are completed.
- Mendenhall added the city plans to expedite permitting and inspection processes to ensure businesses can reopen as quickly as possible.
- The city is also exploring a relief program to help food and beverage workers at those businesses.
What they're saying: "The feeling that I'm getting from the folks who are associated with these restaurants and the building owners is that they want to come back as soon as possible," she said during a news conference across the street from where the fire ignited.
Dave Morris, a board member for the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association and owner of HandleBar, said losing that row of bars and restaurants is a gut punch for the city's nightlife.
- "You leave your phone on by your bedside hoping that you don't get the [fire] phone call," he said.
Zoom in: Richard Romney, who owns Felt Bar & Eatery, two doors down from White Horse, told Axios his establishment avoided damage but said he anticipates losing between $5,000 to $10,000 because of food lost due to a power outage associated with the fire and missed income from having to close for a few days.
- "We're friends with all our neighbors. They're all great establishments. It's just devastating to see how much loss there is," Romney told Axios, adding he expects to reopen this weekend.
- Eva, the restaurant next door to Los Tapatios, sustained smoke and water damage, according to a social media post.
What we're watching: "While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, we know that the effects will ripple far beyond the walls of the impacted property," Downtown Alliance said in a statement.