Earthquake Damage Forces UT Firefighters Out of Station

April 18, 2020
An earthquake in March damaged the Unified Fire Authority's station in Magna, and aftershocks have continued to worsen the building's stability, causing firefighters to move to another station.

An earthquake has damaged a Utah fire station, forcing firefighters to temporarily move out.

Unified Fire Authority's Station 102 in Magna was initially damaged in an earthquake last month, KSTU-TV reports. Aftershocks since then have continued to worsen the building's stability.

While some damage is visible from outside, most of it is within the station. But the real reason behind firefighters leaving the station is that if another large earthquake hit, the building would likely collapse.

Although one other United Fire Authority facility was damaged by March's earthquake, a 2019 study found other stations in need of repairs. Given the multiple stations in need of work, officials hope repairs will be addressed soon.

“When we work here, this is essentially our second home,” firefighter Patrick Costin told KSTU. “We live here. We eat here. We sleep here. This is more than just a business, it’s our home too.