Up in flames: Fire destroys Ogden apartment complex

OGDEN — Murray Latson had just returned home from church, then he heard a bang — his apartment was on fire.

"I'd just came from church with my family," Latson said. "We weren't in the house more than 10 minutes. ... Then we heard like a big bang, like something fell in the front room. I looked on the balcony and there was a fire already going like 8 feet tall, already going up the wall."

As the fire spread, Latson said he ran for water in the kitchen, but the fire was spreading too fast. His daughter, Peggy Jones, ran with her boyfriend to look for a fire extinguisher in the hallway to no avail.

"We ran out yelling, 'fire, fire,' telling everyone to get out of the building," Latson said. "It started on our living room patio, it was a shock to us."

Firefighters got the call just after 3 p.m. and 31 crew members worked through the afternoon and into the evening to control the fire that displaced about 83 people who lived in the 30-unit apartment complex at 2325 Quincy, said Chad Tucker, deputy chief for Ogden City Fire. The structure is considered a total loss. Residents and fire crews did not report any injuries, but a number of pets likely died in the fire.

Tucker said firefighters were unable to complete a search of all three floors because of the intense heat and smoke emanating from the fire. Tenants helped compile a list of names and numbers to help fire crews account for everyone. The fire department has been unable to contact the landlord for a complete list of tenants.

"Heavy fire and smoke spread rapidly through the third-floor attic," Tucker said. "The fire is out now and we'll have crews doing a fire watch through the night. Tomorrow the fire marshal will investigate the cause, but that could take days. We'll try and get residents in to reclaim any items they can and get cars that are still here."

Initial estimates of damage were placed at $750,000, but that number could go up, Tucker said.

The fire brought moments of high drama as residents escaped by jumping off balconies. The Sandoval family had to drop a 2-month-old baby into waiting arms below.

"Everything was breaking and the neighbors were screaming," said Rocio Sandoval, who shares an apartment with five family members. "We had to jump off the balcony on the second floor. We don't have an apartment any more. It's all fallen down. Everything's gone."

As crews doused smoldering embers Sunday afternoon, Shannon Ewing watched them work with teary eyes.