Payson Fire & Rescue Issues Report on Last Night’s Fire at Former Post Office Building

Pictured: The old Payson Post Office the afternoon following the January 2 fire.  Photo by Denise Windley 

By Assistant EMS Chief Terry Reilly

At 0112 January 2, 2016, Utah Valley Dispatch received numerous 911 calls reporting a large fire in a two-story commercial building located at 97 South 100 East in Payson. Payson Fire is a volunteer department and as firefighters arrived to the station, the fire was visible, as it was across the street from the firehouse.

Payson Fire responded with two engines, a truck and an ambulance, and Chief Scott Spencer arrived to command the situation. Salem Fire Department responded one engine on automatic aid for a confirmed building fire. There were 25 firefighters on scene. Payson Police assisted with traffic control.

The fire was fought defensively from the outside, due to the large volume of fire from every window of the second floor. The building had been the Payson Post Office many years ago, and then a privately owned business, which had closed due to the death of the owner in a traffic accident some months back. The bank had auctioned all items form the building and it was for sale.

After 20 minutes, the main fire was knocked down and for several hours firefighters put out hot spots. The ambient temperature was in single digits, and the large volume of water used to suppress the fire was turning everything to ice. A Payson City snow plow was on scene to address the ice in the roadway. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

A cause and origin investigation was conducted and the area of origin is a furnace on the second floor. The second floor is a complete loss, the roof structure has burned away and there is only water damage on the first floor. An estimated dollar loss is 250,000 dollars. The Utah State Fire Marshal’s accelerant detection canine Oscar and handler Troy Mills were called and no alerts to accelerant were indicated. The cause is undetermined at this time, but there is no evidence to suspect arson.

Payson Fire Rescue wants to remind our citizens that even in an empty building such as this, working smoke alarms can and do save lives.