Crews battle warehouse fire in near-record low temps
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Crews from three fire departments battled a west side warehouse blaze in near-record cold temperatures on New Year’s Day.
Crews from Wayne Township Fire Department were dispatched to the 4300 block of West Minnesota Street to a warehouse for the Lester Sale Co. — an electrical supply business — just before 7 p.m. on Monday for a report of a building alarm.
It took 10 minutes for crews to locate the fire inside the building. Capt. Mike Pruitt with Wayne Township Fire Department said via Twitter that a considerable number of cardboard boxes were on fire.
The sprinkler system in the building was activated, putting out some of the fire but causing visibility issues for the crews and soaking firefighters in water.
Pruitt said there were no injuries while crews got control of the blaze but pointed out that Monday’s near-zero temperatures are tough on firefighters: “It’s brutal on equipment and men both as they fight these fires.”
Fire crews were able to use another part of the business to warm up as they worked, according to Pruitt.
Decatur Township and Indianapolis fire departments assisted.
Investigators were working Monday night to determine the cause of the fire, Pruitt said.