SALT LAKE CITY — A devastating fire this week has left a beloved Avenues chef hospitalized with severe burns and his restaurant in ruins, following a medical emergency that turned catastrophic.
Chris Blatchford, owner of Blatch’s Backyard BBQ, suffered a critical diabetic episode while lighting equipment at his vegan barbecue restaurant on Wednesday. The incident escalated rapidly, leaving Blatchford unconscious as flames engulfed the space.
“When I passed out, I hit the ground,” Blatchford recounted, his face bandaged and voice trembling. “The fires were just all over. I had to crawl through the flames to escape with my life.”…