Investigators are examining a possible electrical malfunction after wind helped flames spread between closely parked vehicles in the economy lot.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A fire that began in a parked vehicle at Salt Lake City International Airport early Friday spread to nearby cars and damaged 12 vehicles before firefighters brought the blaze under control, authorities said. No injuries were reported.
The Oct. 23 fire broke out in the airport’s economy parking area and quickly reached other vehicles as wind moved through the lot. Salt Lake City fire officials said investigators identified the vehicle where the fire began and were examining an electrical malfunction as a possible cause. The investigation remained open, and officials had not announced a final determination on what ignited the vehicle.
Salt Lake City Police Lt. Scott Hall said the vehicle believed to be the source of the fire had been parked at the airport at about 10 p.m. Thursday. The airport reported the fire at about 5:45 a.m. Friday, and flames spread to neighboring vehicles within minutes. The damaged cars were in the Blue Economy Lot near section A.
The Salt Lake City Fire Department said the spacing between the parked vehicles and strong winds helped the fire extend from the original vehicle to others. Some of the vehicles were seriously damaged or destroyed, according to local reports. Officials had not released a vehicle-by-vehicle damage assessment or an estimated dollar amount for the losses.
Fire crews extinguished the blaze without reported injuries to civilians or firefighters. Officials did not report any deaths or other medical emergencies connected with the incident. The available reports also did not identify the make, model or power source of the vehicle where investigators believe the fire started.
That distinction is important because officials described an electrical malfunction only as a line of investigation. Authorities had not confirmed what component may have failed or whether the vehicle was electric, gasoline-powered, hybrid or another type. Investigators had established the vehicle of origin but were still working to determine why it caught fire.
Airport security cameras helped authorities identify the vehicle where the blaze began. Police then contacted owners whose vehicles were affected by the fire. The damaged vehicles were removed from the economy lot and taken to an impound lot so the parking area could be cleared for other airport users.
No official estimate had been released for the cost of the damage. Authorities also had not announced whether every affected vehicle was a total loss. Reports consistently placed the number of damaged vehicles at 12, although the degree of damage varied among them.
The fire occurred in a large economy parking area used by travelers leaving vehicles at the airport for extended periods. The Blue Economy Lot is on the north side of the airport’s economy parking area and is served by shuttle stops that connect travelers with the terminal.
As of Saturday, investigators had not announced a final cause of the fire. The confirmed findings remained limited to the identified vehicle of origin, the possible electrical malfunction under review, the role of wind in spreading the flames and the damage to 12 vehicles. No injuries were reported.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 24, 2026.