Multiple buildings caught fire overnight in downtown St. Louis, with firefighters continuing to battle flames hours after the initial call. Officials say the size of the fire will likely cause it to continue burning into Sunday. Fire Chief Jenkerson with the St. Louis Fire Department told First Alert 4 that this is considered a 5 Alarm Fire, and as of 5:35 a.m., four buildings have caught fire, with one of the buildings collapsing.
The initial report of the fire was around 2:30 a.m. Friday, with the fire originating at abandoned warehouses at the intersection of Gratiot and 2nd in downtown St. Louis. These buildings are part of the Crunden Martin warehouse and factory system, with the heavy-duty nature of the factories contributing to the fire, said Chief Jenkerson.
At one point, the flames were reaching between 200 to 300-feet tall, said Chief Jenkerson. โThereโs a lot of combustible products in these buildings,โ said Chief Jenkerson. โAll the floors, and all the old timber – itโs going to burn awhile.โ Wind has also played a role in this fire, with embers blowing eastwards, catching nearby electric lines and railroad tracks on fire.
KMOV-TV CBS/MyNetworkTV 4 St. Louis
