At least in five of our warehouses in St. Louis, a large fire broke out on Friday, firefighters were trying to put it out.
The incident happened near 2nd street and Gratoit at the historic Crunden Martin Warehouse facility.
Several videos circulating on social media platforms showed thick smoke billowing from the warehouses.
The fire was primarily of natural materials, mostly wood, and was upgraded to a six-alarm (extremely large and dangerous) fire.
About 200 firefighters are fighting the fire, including 180 additional firefighters to maintain citywide coverage.
The fire chief in St. Louis Dennis Jenkerson said the flames were 200 to 300 feet high.
“The flames spread quickly, eventually engulfing about five vacant warehouse buildings and causing the buildings to collapse,” FoX2now reported, citing Jenkerson.
There are no reports of casualties or injuries yet. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
“It’s too early to even speculate on the cause. We’ve had several power outages in the area, so we’re trying to get that as soon as Ameren makes a decision,” Jenkerson told KSDK.
Wind also played a role in this fire, with hot embers blowing east and igniting nearby power lines and railroad tracks. The fire chief said some people may be without power as a result, but as the fire continues to die down, firefighters will contact Ameren to reconnect the damaged lines.
In a post on X, KSDK Chief Meteorologist Scott Connell said, “That warehouse fire in downtown #STL is really prominent on the radar this morning. It’s a cold morning and yes, we still have some snow in the forecast for early Saturday (some accumulation expected).”
Fire officials said some people may be without power because wind also played a role in this fire.
