03-23-14 Early Morning Fire Guts Vacant Commercial Building

With flames shooting through the roof, one side of the building completely collapsed. Since there was no safe way to enter the building, Captain Schroyer said the firefighters fought the fire defensively to keep the flames from spreading to nearby structures. Using hand-held hoselines and master streams from aerials, they got the fire under control in roughly 30 minutes. No injuries were reported.

Captain Schroyer said firefighters used handlines to enter the part of the structure still standing to conduct a primary search, because they received reports that people had been staying in the vacant structure. No one was found inside.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Captain Schroyer said the property had just been purchased last week for $25,000.

This photo was posted on Facebook by Chief Photographer Brent McDonald with NewsChannel 9, but he did not take the photo. The name of the photographer is not known.