A fire in a downtown Kansas City, Kansas, vacant building Monday morning resulted in heavy smoke visible throughout the area.
The two-alarm fire at 615 Minnesota Ave. was in a vacant building in the process of being remodeled, according to Scott Schaunaman, assistant chief of training and a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.
Fire crews were dispatched to the fire at 5:18 a.m. Monday, and crews initially reported heavy smoke from three of the four sides of the two-story commercial building, the spokesman stated.
Fire crews removed a security door to obtain access to the inside, according to the spokesman. Crews made entry and reported no fire visible on the first floor.
Fire was visible on the second floor, but the ceiling started to collapse, and crews had to evacuate the structure, the spokesman stated. The offensive fire attack was switched to defensive mode as the second floor started to collapse, according to the spokesman.
Four aerial master streams and one pumper master stream, along with two ground monitors were used to extinguish the fire, the spokesman stated. Multiple handlines also were deployed.
Fire crews not only extinguished the fire, but also limited damage to the adjacent high-rise commercial building, according to the spokesman.
There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation, the spokesman stated.
The fire was in a building near the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library. According to a social media post, the library delayed opening until 10 a.m. today, and the library building is fine.
