Rocky Mountain Video’s Final Reel: A Three-Alarm Blaze

2222 west 3500 south:

“An attic spark, toxic smoke, and a neighborhood movie night nearly lost — but not quite.”

On a snowy December night in 1990, Rocky Mountain Video in West Valley City went up in smoke when an electrical fire sparked in the attic. The culprit? Fire officials traced it to neon lighting transformers overhead — and missing attic fire blocks that let the flames race through the building unchecked.

By the time 50 firefighters knocked down the three-alarm blaze, toxic smoke had forced the evacuation of a nearby Denny’s and threatened the exotic animals at the neighboring Animal Kingdom — but thanks to a solid wall and quick work, the animals survived unharmed.

Owner Everett Herbert and his staff watched helplessly as the fire damaged an inventory of about 11,500 VHS tapes — an investment worth as much as $250,000 when brand-new tapes could cost a store up to $100 each.

Remarkably, not all was lost. Employee Nicky Harrison reported that only 500 to 1,000 tapes suffered smoke or fire damage — “none were burned,” she said. Despite the structural damage, Rocky Mountain Video was back open the next day on a limited basis, handing tapes to loyal customers at the door while repairs began inside.

A spark in the attic nearly ended Friday movie nights for good — but thanks to insurance, determination, and a loyal neighborhood, Rocky Mountain Video rolled the credits on disaster and kept rewinding for another day.