Chef crawled through flames to survive fire, but restaurant destroyed

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A fire destroyed Blatch's Backyard BBQ in Salt Lake City on Wednesday.

Chef Chris Blatchford survived with severe burns after a diabetic episode.

A GoFundMe aims to help rebuild; Blatchford vows to return stronger.

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