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KEARNS — A small strip mall on the corner of 5400 South and Northwest Avenue caught fire Wednesday morning, prompting road closures.
The blaze may have started at a pizza restaurant at about 4 a.m., Unified fire told KSL-TV, but the exact cause and location of the fire had not yet been determined. Also in the strip mall is the La Placita Market.
Benjamin Porter, a spokesperson for the Unified Fire Authority, said there were heavy flames when crews arrived.
Nobody was hurt, but the scene was "very active," Unified fire said at 6 a.m.
Kearns High School, which is right across the street, is not in any danger, crews say, but morning traffic in the area will be significantly affected by the road closures. Porter expects the road to be closed for a while.
Both directions of 5400 South at 4703 West are closed, eastbound lanes are closed at 4800 West and westbound lanes are closed at 4585 West, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
An officer at 5400 South near Cougar Lane was hit by a vehicle while directing traffic away from the blaze, Sgt. Aimee Race with the Unified Police Department said.
The officer was taken to the hospital in fair condition, Race said, and the driver is cooperating. West Vally City police are doing the investigation, and Race is urging commuters "please avoid the area if you can."
They don't know the circumstances of the accident, but Race says the nearby fire causes black ice, which can be dangerous to unsuspecting drivers, and the distractions also cause safety issues for police outside their vehicles directing traffic.
