Popular Salt Lake restaurant closed after medical episode leads to fire

SALT LAKE CITY — A highly acclaimed vegan restaurant nestled in Salt Lake City’s Avenues neighborhood will remain closed “until further notice” after a fire on Wednesday.

Salt Lake firefighters responded to a report of a fire near Blatch’s BBQ, 186 N. I Street, shortly after 2:30 p.m. A garage next to the business was “fully engulfed” when crews arrived, causing six propane tanks in the area to explode, said Salt Lake Fire Capt. Chad Jepperson. Additional crews were called to combat the fire as it threatened a vehicle and two houses next to the garage before the fire was extinguished.

“We just continued to attack the fire, and we were able to get it under control within about 20 minutes,” he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the business reported on its social media channels that Chris Blatchford, the business’s chef and owner, suffered a “Type I diabetic low blood sugar episode” while holding a lighter, causing him to pass out. He woke up to flames but was able to crawl out and escape.

Firefighters said a man was treated at the scene. Blatchford was later treated for second-degree burns to his head, chest and arms at a hospital and was later released, the restaurant posted on Wednesday night.

It added that the garage was a “total loss,” and the fire destroyed more than 80% of its equipment, leading to the prolonged closure.

The restaurant opened a few years ago, offering a unique twist on vegan food and traditional barbecue. It was named the best barbecue in the 2025 Best of SLC Awards, while it also maintains a 5-star rating on Google Reviews.

Despite the setback, the restaurant says it’s not going anywhere.

“It’ll take some time to rebuild, but what we do is changing the world, the future and shattering stereotypes,” reads another social media post. “We are here for it. Let’s make tomorrow better.”

Related: Large fire in downtown SLC destroys 4 businesses