Smoke forces day care to evacuate, rabbi to rescue Torah

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Chaya Zippel, 18, removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smoke was detected at the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children froma day care in the building were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation.

Michael McFall | The Salt Lake Tribune

About 20 children were evacuated Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, from a day care due to a two-alarm fire near 1700 South and 1100 East.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Max Stevens, 3, who always wears his firefighter suit according to his parents gets a rare opportunity to see his idols in action near his home as he meets Captain Steve Crandall of Station 5. Crandall and other firefighters were called to Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, when smoke was reported.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the daycare were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. The cause of the smoke is under investigation.

Michael McFall | The Salt Lake Tribune

Twenty 20 children -- five of them infants -- were evacuated Monday, Feb. 3, 204, from the basement day-care operation called The Playhouse Daycare Center near 1700 South 1100 East.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from a day care in the building were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Chaya Zippel, 18, removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smoke was detected at the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children froma day care in the building were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation. Michael McFall | The Salt Lake Tribune About 20 children were evacuated Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, from a day care due to a two-alarm fire near 1700 South and 1100 East. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Max Stevens, 3, who always wears his firefighter suit according to his parents gets a rare opportunity to see his idols in action near his home as he meets Captain Steve Crandall of Station 5. Crandall and other firefighters were called to Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, when smoke was reported. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters try to determine the source of the smell of smoke reported at the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the day care were safely removed as while the investigation continues. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from the daycare were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Community Center at 1760 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. The cause of the smoke is under investigation. Michael McFall | The Salt Lake Tribune Twenty 20 children -- five of them infants -- were evacuated Monday, Feb. 3, 204, from the basement day-care operation called The Playhouse Daycare Center near 1700 South 1100 East. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Rabbi Benny Zippel removes one of two Torah scrolls for safekeeping after smelling smoke and calling the fire department to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish center at 1760 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Several children from a day care in the building were safely removed while the cause of the smoke is under investigation.

By Michael McFall The Salt Lake Tribune

· February 3, 2014 5:40 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A faulty furnace was blamed for smoke that prompted the evacuation of a Salt Lake City day care on Monday afternoon.

At about 12:45 p.m., Salt Lake City fire crews responded to the Playhouse Daycare Center, at 1760 S. 1100 East, to find heavy smoke in the basement, according to a fire department news release.

Twenty children — five of them infants — were evacuated from the basement day care operation and taken to a building across the street to await the arrival of their parents.

Once power to the building was cut off, the smoke inside the building dissipated.

Investigators eventually determined furnace was the problem, and the building was turned over to the owner.

The building is also home to Chabad Lubavitch of Utah Jewish Center, where the report of smoke prompted Rabbi Benny Zippel and his daughter to remove two Torah scrolls for safekeeping.

Other businesses housed at the building include a health and wellness center and a cat health center.

mcfall@sltrib.com