LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) -- Flames engulfed a vacant building in the Russell neighborhood early Friday.
The fire at 30th and Muhammad Ali Boulevard was called in by employees of CSX Railroad around 5 o'clock Friday morning. The five-story building, an old tobacco processing warehouse that was being demolished, is located across the street from the Louisville Urban League Sports and Learning Complex.
"It was a city-owned property," said Maj. Bobby Cooper with Louisville Fire & Rescue. "Back in May, a demolition order had been ordered and the demolition began around mid-June."
Firefighters responded within minutes of receiving calls about the fire, but flames were already shooting out of the building, and heavy smoke was visible for miles. Crews also disconnected transformers in the area, leaving about 1,000 people without power while crews battled the blaze.
Early morning fire keeps firefighters busy in Louisville. This is my drone flight to help with coverage. pic.twitter.com/3VGfxUKTt6
— Barry Fulmer (@BarryFulmerWDRB) June 19, 2020
About 75 firefighters responded from 15 companies with five ladder trucks to extinguish the flames. Because the flames were so intense, crews pulled back and took a defensive stance instead of trying to battle the flames from inside the building because it could possibly collapse. Firefighters were also confident that no one was inside.
"Our biggest concern at the moment are things like structural integrity, the potential collapse of the building," Cooper said. "So, if you wonder why we have our crews further back, it's because of the concern of when you have the height of a five-story building coming down, that debris and the impact has to go somewhere, so our priority at this moment is keeping our crews safe."
In addition to the five ladder trucks, firefighters also used a large water cannon they referred to as "Big John" to blast the fire from the ground.
Pictured: crews with Louisville Fire & Rescue use a water cannon known as "Big John" to blast flames from a massive warehouse fire at 30th and Muhammad Ali on June 19, 2020.
There's no word on what caused the fire, and Cooper says the fact that the building has been severely compromised means it will be difficult for arson officials to investigate from the inside.
No injuries were reported.
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