Residents at Southgate Senior Living were evacuated on Tuesday night, September 21, after a fire ignited in an air conditioning unit, according to officials.
St. George Fire Battalion Chief Coty Chadburn stated that firefighters were dispatched to the facility at 134 W. 2025 South Circle around 10:07 p.m. for a reported structure fire.
While crews were en route, dispatchers reported smoke in the area. Upon arrival, firefighters found that certified nursing assistants were already evacuating residents from the building.
Firefighters determined the fire originated near an air conditioning unit located under a bedroom windowsill. The fire caused damage to both the interior and exterior walls of the bedroom. However, Chadburn noted that the building's sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire before crews reached the room, which helped prevent the fire from spreading and resulted in minimal damage.
Responding units included seven fire apparatus and 31 personnel. Gold Cross Ambulance also responded with multiple ambulances and a supervisor as a precaution due to the number of residents in the facility.
No injuries were reported among residents or firefighters. After crews checked the building for smoke and carbon monoxide, residents were permitted to return to the facility once it was deemed safe.
Residents in the room where the fire occurred were moved to another available room. Because the sprinkler system caused water to enter the facility, a restoration company was contacted to assist with removal.
