Evacuations that have been lifted for South Salt Lake Gas leakage fire

South Salt Lake – Families are finally at home after the dangerous gas leak on Sunday evening in South Salt Lake. The fire forced itself around the surrounding area and business to evacuate, but that has now been lifted.

The sight of workers on Monday morning, the holes and the gas line repair looks very different from the flame wall that was lit by the gas leak.

“This petrol can travel along this direction, such as water on your sprinkler tube … there will be a source of ignition and will ignite,” said Terry Addison, South Salt Lake Fire Chief.

Firefighters said that a power line had fallen on a truck and the fire started, but as soon as the crews brought them out, they noticed that a nearby gas knife was also on fire. They then discovered a leak under the street.

“It is currently in the storm processes and the sewage pipes,” said Addison.

The leak forced the closure of the street and the Trax line of the Utah Transit Authority and also forced the surrounding houses and companies to evacuate.

A gas leak that led to a fire in South Salt Lake near West Temple on Sunday, April 27, 2025, forced the residents' evacuation in the area for the night. (Wesley Barton, KSL TV)

One of the residents, Bernadette Glines, told KSL TV that he had to spend the night in his car.

“We waited for updates and saw whether we could go home,” said Glines.

Other residents went to a nearby American Red Cross in a meeting house for the Church of Jesus Christ of the saints of the past few days.

“It means that I didn't have to rely on a family for emergency accommodation,” said Austin Hedin, evacuated for the gas leak.

The Red Cross made it available to anyone who needed it.

“Very important that the animal shelter is here so that you can order the EVAC to have a safe place to which it is warm and you can get something to eat,” said Leigha Westover, manager of Utah American Red Cross.

The American Red Cross Disaster Team Associate Margaret Moore, Center, speaks on Sunday, April 27, 2025, with colleagues in American protection of the evacuation of the Red Cross in the Church of Jesus Christ of the Saint Lake. (Tess Crowley, Deseret News)

When evacuated for protection, the crews worked all night to find and repair the leak. The evacuations were canceled by the middle of Monday and the crews had electricity, gas and the streets normal again.

“It takes a village to cope with like these incidents, and we set it up and it worked really well,” said Addison.

In terms of dangerous gas leaks, the situation has been relatively smooth, said officials. Although it caused disorders and a truck was burned, it did not cause significant destruction.