Ten years into the history of the South Salt Lake Fire Department, we experienced our first firefighter fatality. One of the founding members of this department, Assistant Chief George Plant was pumping on the IGA Foodtown Market fire located at 2704 S. State Street when a catastrophic mechanical failure occurred with the pumper. Chief Plant fought valiantly and successfully keep water flowing to the crews fighting the fire. Unfortunately suffered a heart attack while standing at the pump panel. He was transported to the hospital but had succumbed to the fatal heart attack.

Chief Plant’s son (George Plant Jr.) married the daughter of another founding member (Chief Mel Humpherys) of the South Salt Lake Fire Department, Twila Humpherys. They currently reside in Murray, Utah.

Chief Plant is buried at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City, Utah.