Draper residents clean up after mudslides

DRAPER — As mud and sweat dripped down his face, Matt Olson gestured up at the jagged scar that cut across the mountain above.

He explained how a wildfire last year had uprooted the plants and trees that could have kept the mud at bay.

The fire practically prepped the mountainside for the mudslide that came rushing through Draper's Bear Ridge Cove around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, causing damage to homes and covering the streets with mud.

"It was just steady water," Olson said. "Just a big slide. It sounded like a river, like you were up in Cottonwood Canyon."

The home of Olson's uncle, Troy Olson, was hit by the slide. Though Troy Olson was in Scotland with his wife, Mindy, when the mud hit the house, Matt Olson said their 19-year-old son was upstairs in the home at the time and didn't know what was coming until he heard glass breaking.

"He ran downstairs right away and saw mud pouring in," Matt Olson said. "There was 8 to 10 inches of muck."

Matt Olson's father, Jim Olson, was the first relative called to the home and said he called the fire department and then immediately began efforts to prevent further damage.

"We tried to stop the water and mud from getting into the house, so we were shoveling mud and setting up sandbags," he said. "Just preventative measures to stop the damage."

A mix of relatives, neighbors and employees of the Les Olson company, where Troy Olson works, were at the house until 3 a.m. Thursday, and returned a few hours later, Jim Olson said.

"There's been a great outpouring from the neighbors and church members," he said. "Everybody was helping. There were even ladies out here with shovels, working alongside the men to get this cleaned up."

Unified Fire Authority Capt. Clint Smith said their efforts Wednesday night focused on securing the safety of people in the area, removing water and debris and alerting residents by way of a reverse 911 system. He said two homes were affected.

"Both of those had substantial damages to the home due to mud, debris and water flow to their structures," Smith said. "In terms of damages, I don't have an estimated dollar amount, but I'd say it's in the tens of thousands of dollars to each home."

The cleanup effort Thursday was turned over to Draper city workers. Men were working with shovels and wheelbarrows as well as heavy machinery, running up and down the streets trying to clear and smooth the roads.

One of the men working there, Nick Benuska, wasn't a relative, employee, neighbor or friend, but a South Mountain resident and volunteer who saw the story on the news and wanted to do something.

"I haven't worked in seven months," Benuska said. "I didn't have anything else to do, so I just came up to see if I could help somehow."

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