Centralia City Firefighters say two-thirds of a warehouse at Dimick and North Walnut used by Centralia Home Center was destroyed in an early morning fire.
Firemen from five area departments were able to stop the fire from entering the third section separated by an indoor garage door. However, carpeting and other items in the saved section received smoke damage.
The first firefighters on the scene around three Monday morning reported the whole front of the building was on fire and it had already breached the roof. The same building caught fire in April when an apartment that was part of the original structure was destroyed.
The front of the building is mostly on the ground, with a bulldozer pulling down walls and moving debris so firefighters could get to hot spots. The center section of the building is still standing but heavily damaged.
Firemen say there was plenty of water to fight the fire from two different hydrants. There were no injuries in the firefighting effort.
The part of the building that burned was full of wood trim and molding. Two tow motors inside the building also burned and two autos inside sustained significant damage.
The State Fire Marshal’s office was called to investigate the fire, but at last word no determination had been made on the cause of the fire.
Centralia City Firemen called the Centralia Fire Protection District, Sandoval, Odin, and Salem Firefighters for mutual aid. Firemen remained on the scene until 12:15 Monday afternoon.
Firemen fight the fire from the air. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Fighting the fire as the outside walls of the warehouse collapse. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Fighting the fire from one of the pumper trucks on the scene. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
The warehouse building remains engulfed in flames as the outside walls collapse. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
