Residents Displaced After 3-Alarm Fire Destroys Layton Apartments

LAYTON, Utah – Five residents suffered minor injuries and seven officers were treated for smoke inhalation in an apartment fire that firefighters said left the building as a total loss.

Damage was preliminarily estimated at close to $1 million in the fire at the Layton Meadows Apartments at 540 West 1425 North, according to Layton City Fire Chief Kevin Ward.

Ward said a full investigation was underway after a preliminary report suggested some sort of cooking fire started the larger blaze before 2:30 p.m. Monday.

It was around that time, the chief said, that an engineer with one of the city’s engine companies was at Layton Hills Mall on an alarm and noticed the fire.

Ward said it appeared the fire quickly spread from a first floor apartment to the second floor and beyond.

“All you [saw were] billows of black smoke and huge flames,” said Brandi Seaver, who watched the fire grow as she worked nearby.

The flames quickly spread, and were shooting from the roof as crews from multiple agencies responded to the three-alarm fire.

Ward acknowledged extra firefighters were on-hand because of the extreme summer heat, with temperatures reaching the triple digits in several areas of the Wasatch Front.

Among the five residents who suffered minor injuries, Ward said one person was reported to have jumped off a second-floor balcony.

Two of those injured were transported to local hospitals.

The 7 police officers were also evaluated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital.

Resident Marcus Stringfield said he had just moved in the night before. Most of his belongings were in boxes prior to him being informed they were likely destroyed in the fire.

“It’s not the best of luck in the world,” Stringfield chuckled as he tried to remain upbeat amid the devastation. “Yeah, it’s sad because a lot of people don’t know where they’re going to live tonight.”

Stringfield said there were a lot of children in the development and he was grateful the people who lived in the building survived.

“I tell anybody, when you wake up the next day, you understand that tragedy still breeds blessings. Why? Because if no one passes and you lose everything. You can replace the material, not the people,” Stringfield said. “It may look tragic, but it’s a blessing because no one died.”