Fires in Salt Lake damage warehouse, restaurant

Two separate fires Saturday morning heavily damaged two Salt Lake businesses. No one was injured in either fire.

Firefighters responded to a warehouse fire at 659 S. 600 West at 9:44 a.m. and arrived six minutes later to find heavy smoke inside the building. Firefighters located a burning boat stored inside the structure.

The fire had been held in check by sprinklers, but firefighters were on scene for more than two hours clearing the structure of smoke and checking for fire extension. Sixteen boats and several other vehicles were stored inside the warehouse, and firefighters credited the sprinkler system with averting a major fire. The two-alarm fire brought 35 firefighters to the scene on six engines, two ladder trucks and support and command vehicles.

A person in an office inside the warehouse was assessed and released at the scene. Fire investigators were searching for a cause early Saturday afternoon and estimated damage to the structure and contents at $200,000.

Firefighters responded to a report of smoke in the Himalayan Kitchen Restaurant, 73 E. 400 South, at 9:47 a.m. They located a fire in a void space under the floor and quickly extinguished it. Damage was estimated at $75,000, and that fire was also under investigation.

Inspectors from the Salt Lake Valley Health Department were on scene Saturday afternoon to assist the restaurant in reopening as soon as possible.