Harrowing moment Utah strip mall explodes after cars crash into store
A Utah strip mall erupted like a volcano after a multi-car crash caused a fire inside the complex, leaving three people injured, police said.
Shocking video of the aftermath shows first responders trying to combat the flames at the strip mall in Herriman on Saturday night when the flames suddenly spout from the roof in a terrifying roar.
The explosion destroys the rooftop and sends fire, dust and debris flying all around the strip mall, leaving the man filming the incident flabbergasted and swearing in shock at the violent outburst that nearly hits his car.
A group of people standing by the sidewalk could also be heard yelling and running away in the face of the large explosion.
The incident occurred when three cars got into an accident just outside the strip mall, causing the vehicles to slam into one of the businesses and damage a gas line, according to Herriman police and the Unified Fire Authority.
Video posted on social media showed one of the cars engulfed in flames inside the local Domino’s pizzeria, with damage seen at the neighboring Jimmy John’s sandwich shop and Supercuts barbershop at the strip mall at at 13400 South and 5200 West.
Police said one of the vehicles involved in the crash had a 70-year-old driver with a 72-year-old passenger, while the other had a teen driver with multiple passengers. The third vehicle was driven by a 26-year-old man, local Fox 13 reported.
Officials did not publicly identify the drivers or the people who were injured in the crash and subsequent fire. The condition of the victims remains unknown.
The fire authority, however, did tout the work of two bystanders who acted quickly to help pull out some of the victims from the inferno.
“Two courageous bystanders risked their lives to rescue the driver and passenger from the burning vehicle just moments before it was engulfed in flames,” the Unfired Fire Authority said in a statement.
An evacuation order for the homes near the strip mall was lifted on Sunday at 1 a.m., with police still investigating the cause of the crash.