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Show "It boggles my mind that they didn't care to put them [sprinklers] in any other apartments after somebody had died in the 2009 fire." 7 - Patric Bates DOWN AND OUT IN UTAH COUNTY The Boulders aren't the only sketchy places to live in Our Lovely Deseret. Here's some more places to maybe avoid. BY JOHN-ROSS BOYCE THE BRANBURY APARTMENTS Where: 449 W. 1720 N. in Provo Why: Home to more sexual assault than BYU's infamous "Rape Hill." If you live there now: Invest in some mace. UNNAMED COMPLEX BY NICKEL CITY in your mind. You wonder how much time was wasted; what could we have done differently?" The Boulders saw another fire in January of 2009, this one across the parking lot from the most recent inferno. Dozens of tenants were displaced and one woman — 55-year-old Karen Jorgenson — was killed. Management saw to it that sprinklers were installed into the rebuilt units. Such precautionary measures were not, however, taken in the older buildings. Bates pointed at a sprinkler affixed to the ceiling in his apartment and said, "I think if they did have sprinkler systems then perhaps the fire could have been diffused a little bit and would not have been so quick to start and spread. It boggles my mind that they didn't care to put them in any other apartments after somebody had died in the 2009 fire." Management at The Boulders could not be reached for comment. THE AFTERMATH Meanwhile Kimber, who was originally held on manslaughter, is now being charged with two counts of murder and one count of arson, all of which carry the possibility of life in prison. "The management told us that they brought a dog and tested the area and there was fuel all over her house and up the stairs, all over the balcony and in front of people's doors," said Whitney Huber, a neighbor who witnessed the fire. Huber had spoken with Kimber on occasion and got the impression that she was mentally unstable. "She talked a lot of nonsense stuff. You couldn't keep up with what she was saying," Huber said. According to Thomas, Kimber was on scene outside the burning building, sobbing with her head in a neighbor's lap. "She was crying over and over again 'I didn't mean to kill no one. ) )5 The Boulders reputation in town has not always been positive, and citizens of Provo might avoid renting in that complex in light of the recent events. In fact, Thomas reported that eyewitness conclusions initially pointed to use or manufacture of methamphetamines as the cause of the fire. "Those stereotypes come from the fact that this is a low-income housing facility," said Bates. "But, the fact of the matter is, as far as this apartment complex goes, we know all the neighbors around us, especially now As far as my experience here, it's been nice." A candlelight vigil was held days after the fire to commemorate Crane and Murray. Residents at The Boulders are now trying to move on with their lives, in spite of the traumatizing things they have seen. "I was in so much shock that it didn't even bother me to watch them pull the bodies out," said Thomas. "But the next day after realizing everything, the fact that two people died in front of me while I was just standing there and couldn't help, it hit me so hard. It was bad." Where: 1500 S. 500 E. in Orem Why: It's so sketchy it doesn't even have a name! Also, residents report constant thefts of lawn equipment and cars getting broken into regularly. If you live there now: Park your car and your lawnmower at Nickel City. VILLAGE ON THE PARKWAY Where: 1181 W. 1230 S. in Orem Why: One former resident reports living in a Hunter Thompson-style haze. The reason? Her apartment had been a former meth house, which remained contaminated by the drug's deadly residue. Another resident regaled us with sickening tales of raw sewage coming out of the drains not once, but twice. If you live there now: See a doctor immediately. OLD MILL APARTMENT COMPLEX Where: 1720 N. 722 W. in Provo Why: Residents report sightings of a mysterious spirit of a former tenant who died in the pool house years ago. He has a football player's build and lurks around the girls' apartments. Unless he's actually an old pervert in a rubber mask, a la Scooby-Doo. If You Live There Now: Call the Ghostbusters. |