Sprinklers Flood Utah Conference Center After Fire

Parts of the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, have been damaged after a small fire triggered a deluge from a sprinkler system.

Salt Lake City Fire Department officials say the sprinklers had already doused the flames when crews responded about 8:15 p.m. Monday. But the system had dumped thousands of gallons of water in the first few rows of the 21,000-seat auditorium.

No injuries were reported. Officials haven’t yet released a damage estimate.

Fire spokesman Jasen Asay tells The Salt Lake Tribune the fire started in a mechanical room near batteries that back up the center’s electrical system.

The auditorium houses the twice-yearly conferences of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as other events throughout the year.