Flames and smoke brought people out to witness a warehouse fire in downtown De Soto on Dec. 22.
Firefighters battled for nearly seven hours to bring a raging warehouse fire under control in downtown De Soto on Tuesday evening (Dec. 22).
The cause of the fire is under investigation. No injuries were reported, but the 30,000-square-foot building at 112 E. Clement St., is “a complete loss,” De Soto Fire Chief James Maupin said Wednesday.
“The fire appears to have started in a trailer on the east side of the building,” he said. “The actual cause is unknown and is under investigation by the state fire marshal.”
The fire was reported just after 5 p.m. Quickly, flames and smoke were visible throughout the city.
Maupin said a recycling center, the Waymaker Project store and an auction house operated in the building.
“The recycling center had a large quantity of plastics, cardboard and paper, I believe,” he said.
Previously, the building housed a lumber yard, Maupin said.
The chief said one person, who was in the building at the time the fire broke out, safely exited the building. “There were no injuries to the person or to firefighters,” he said.
Firefighters remained on scene for nearly seven hours to bring the blaze under control. Several flare-ups overnight and this morning (Dec. 23) brought firefighters back to the scene.
“We’ve been back for several spot fires overnight and this morning,” Maupin said.
In addition to the warehouse, several surrounding buildings received heat damage due to the fire, Maupin said. But no “significant damage” was reported to the other structures.
He said many departments responded to assist in fighting the fire.
“There was at least one apparatus from every fire agency in Jefferson County and several from Washington County and St. Francois County,” Maupin said.