June 21, 2000
It's being called one of the
most devastating residential
fires in Southern Utah history.
Forty-five units at a popular
St. George condominium
complex charred by smoke and fire.
News Specialist
Reed Cowan returned from the scene on Chopper
Five and has a look at the damage.
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, the walls
of your home burning all around you. It happened to
the folks at Green Valley's Los Palmas Condominums,
making for a quick escape.
"The sheer magnitude of the fire,
the number of people here. It's one
of the biggest fires in years."
From the sky, images of building 16 look like a bomb
went off. From the ground it's a crater. Three levels
buckled from top to bottom, reminders of a risky
firefight and a quick dash to get out.
Robert Stoker/Fire Chief/"We had
crews in there when the floor
collapsed. The ceiling collapsed.
We had to pull our personnel out."
Personnel and people. Cops and firefighters broke
down doors to get people out. Twenty-six units
emptied in seconds, tenants running from their beds,
escaping the flames. Miraculously no one was hurt.
"Up on the third floor, fire
brought the ceiling tiles down to
the kitchen tiles. Follow me back
here to the back firewall that
saved several other units."
Brian Hansen/Escaped fire: "This is
where we were. I pulled back the
blinds. I saw flames everywhere."
Brian Hansen and his wife are newlyweds. They had
just moved into the condo on the other side of the
firewall. No fire damage, but ruined just the same.
"The fire didn't come in, but I
can't live in the house. I lost
everything."
"I've never felt terror like that.
You just grab your clothes and get
outside."
Fire experts are still wading through soggy ruins,
investigating the fire's beginnings. No clues, just clean
up and $1million in damage.
Hansen's father tells Eyewitness News a bulldozer will
arrive Thursday to knock down the ruined units.
As
for the Hansens, they say they'll go on with their
wedding reception Friday, even though the bride's
wedding dress is ruined.
