An RV fire broke out early Dec. 29 beneath a highway overpass in Salt Lake City. Two men died. Public records and interviews recount the tragedy, which activists say is the worst-case result of Utah's lack of available shelter.
Organizer Ty Bellamy said the bureaucracy is frustrating and untenable.
Minutes later, a flurry of reports came in. They all described an RV engulfed in fire beneath the Redwood Road overpass. A Salt Lake City firefighter walks near the scene where an RV caught on fire early Dec. 29. Three people were inside when the fire broke out and two of them died.At least one crew of firefighters dispatched to the blaze got stuck at a railroad crossing, waiting for a passing train, according to documents requested from the fire department. Salt Lake City Fire Capt.
Thirty-three percent of them were fires in motor homes used as a structure, as opposed to RVs used as a vehicle. Despite making up just a third of all reported RV fires, such structure fires accounted for 69% of all RV fire-related deaths. Jeanette Padilla, a local advocate who serves meals to people experiencing homelessness through the nonprofit Food Justice Coalition, said she’s noticed more people this year trying to find a vehicle of some sort to stay in for the winters.
Almost a week after the deadly fire, Salt Lake City Council member Victoria Petro-Eschler noted in a meeting that there was another RV fire that week at a nearby gas station. No one died in that second fire, which was caused by the driver pulling away from the pump with the nozzle still in his gas tank.
“It would be a long-term investment,” he continued. “And it hasn’t been a part of the prioritization quite yet for the limited amount of state funds that are available.” Those figures are just for people considered chronically homeless. It would cost $525 million to house the entire homeless population of just Salt Lake County, auditors estimated.
The report also suggested that the state better define its goal to reduce homelessness. Do officials want to get people in homes? Do they also want to support programs that help prevent people from losing their homes, like providing treatment for substance misuse and those facing mental illness? Those changes will take time, though. Developers won’t get the $55 million lawmakers set aside for deeply affordable housing until fall. Meanwhile, people are living on the streets. And when snow falls, and temperatures plummet, they have to make a calculation to survive, Padilla said.
He learned his son died from a Facebook message, he said. The medical examiner released Eric’s body to him, according to police records. He didn’t plan a funeral. “Stephen was creative in so many ways and was not afraid to take on any project. He never denied a request for help, and he could fix just about anything,” the obituary said. “When he put his mind to it, nothing could stop him.”
The sole survivor of the fire, Pullan, has already endured more loss and cold nights. Burton, with SLCFD, said Pullan declined emergency resources the day of the tragedy.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mets land A’s All-Star pitcher Chris Bassitt in rotation-boosting tradeMets land A's All-Star pitcher Chris Bassitt in rotation-boosting trade
Read more »
A’s Trade RHP Bassitt to Mets for 2 Minor League PitchersRight-hander Chris Bassitt, who made a remarkable recovery from a line drive to the head last year, was traded by the A's to the Mets for a pair of minor league pitchers.
Read more »
A’s trade Chris Bassitt to Mets in first of several expected movesWith Matt Olson, Matt Chapman on trade block, Chris Bassitt is first Oakland A’s player dealt in 2022.
Read more »
Matt Chapman feels healthy and ready to contribute – for Oakland A’s or somebody else“No matter what team any of us are on, Opening Day is April 8, right? So I need to get myself prepared, these guys need to get themselves prepared,” Chapman said.
Read more »
Oakland A’s trade All-Star Matt Olson to Atlanta in next step of rebuildOlson follows pitcher Chris Bassitt out the door to the NL East as the A’s tear down the contending roster they constructed over the last decade.
Read more »
Mets bolster starting rotation, acquire All-Star Chris Bassitt from A'sMets add yet another strong arm to starting rotation, acquire All-Star Chris Bassitt from A's for two minor league pitchers. LGM
Read more »