South Salt Lake, UT — A fire broke out Thursday morning on the roof of the Salt Lake County Metro Jail, prompting the emergency evacuation of 200 inmates and several staff members.
South Salt Lake Fire Chief Terry Addison reported that firefighters were dispatched to the facility at approximately 10:35 a.m. on June 5 after receiving reports of smoke and flames. Responding crews from South Salt Lake, West Valley, Unified, Murray, and West Jordan fire departments quickly identified the source as a fire in one of the jail’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units located on the roof.
Sheriff Rosie Rivera confirmed that evacuation protocols were immediately activated. Inmates housed in four different pods were safely evacuated alongside staff members. Following the evacuation, the inmates were rehoused in other areas within the jail and evaluated by medical personnel as a precaution.
To fully extinguish the blaze, firefighters had to remove the top layer of the facility’s roof. By 12:30 p.m., crews were actively monitoring smoldering areas to prevent rekindling. Power to the jail was temporarily shut off to ensure safe access to electrical components on the roof.
As a result of the incident, the jail’s booking area was closed for approximately two hours. Officers arriving to admit new inmates were required to hold detainees until the facility reopened.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.