Bonanza Drive Explosion Today: Just a Drill

Park City Fire Department personnel used a vacant building for emergency training today. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah-Park City’s NOMA (North of Main Area) was ablaze with Park City Fire District activity this morning, but the scene was no cause for alarm. What was once a building where locals shopped for used sports equipment became the site of rescue training ops.

The building at 1865 Bonanza Drive and multiple adjacent buildings have been vacant for months and are slated for demolition to make room for a master-planned spate of new residential and commercial construction.

If not for Covid, these structures might have been reduced to rubble months ago. For now though, the City, the Fire District and the Police Department are seizing the opportunity to get in some great emergency practice.

At the site, PCFD Batallion Chief Steve Zwirn explained the day’s drill: “Two stations at a time come for scheduled scenarios. The firefighters are told upon arrival to the building which has smoke emitting from inside that a homeless man is inside who needs to be found and rescued. In so doing, the teams are notified that a firefighter has now fallen who also needs finding and rescuing.”

Everyone knowing it’s all merely a training situation and that all are safe and accounted for doesn’t diminish the urgency and professionalism with which steps are meticulously performed. The Batalion Chief expressed thanks to Park City for their cooperation in these vital exercises that benefit the entire community.