DRAPER, UTAH — Two dangerously unstable homes whose occupants were ordered to evacuate six months ago collapsed down a hill Saturday in suburban Salt Lake City.
No one was injured when the unoccupied houses on the edge of the hill broke apart early in the day in Draper, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Officials say the homes had been in danger due to sliding that resulted from shifing ground and breaks in their foundations.
Two other nearby residences were evacuated for safety reasons afterward. With the winter snowpack melting amid the spring thaw, authorities said other homes in the neighborhood will also be evaluated.
The collapses were documented in videos taken by police officers and firefighters, who went to the scene after sections of a retaining wall holding back soil fell apart and the homes began making noises.