Member Center

Butte News

Another large fire hits Butte

Posted: Aug 30, 2010 9:01 AM by Laurel Staples
Updated: Aug 31, 2010 3:54 PM

Bookmark and Share
Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

One week after fire destroyed a historic apartment building and antiques store in uptown Butte, another building goes up in flames just one block away.

Butte Produce and Supply on Utah Street was heavily damaged by fire Monday morning. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Butte-Silver Bow Fire Services Director Jeff Miller says the fire was reported about midnight and firefighters battled the blaze through the night. Even at 8 a.m. Monday, firefighters remained at the scene and heavy smoke continued to pour from the building. Miller says the roof and interior floors of the multi-level building have collapsed.

"When crews arrived, we found fire and heavy smoke, crews operating on the interior of building for considerable period of time. Fire got in roof system and number of roofs, so it became difficult and too dangerous so we pulled everybody out, went to a defensive mode of operation," Miller said.

Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Miller said.

Fire Marshal John Lasky says the fire may have started in the basement and images from surveillance cameras in the area will be reviewed.

The business is located just one block from the National Hotel Apartment Building, which was destroyed by fire on Monday of last week. Officials say the cause of the apartment fire is suspicious. The Butte Produce and Supply fire is also just a few blocks from the Whalen Tire warehouse that was destroyed by fire in June of 2009.

Twenty-six employees work for Butte Produce and Supply. The owners are looking for a temporary location for the business.


Another Butte business has been hit by a large fire.

A fire at Butte Produce and Supply at 605 Utah Street was reported about midnight and fire fighters battled the blaze through the night, but the building is heavily damaged.

The building is owned by Biff and Marianne DeWolf . Butte-Silver Bow Fire Services Director Jeff Miller says the roof and all the interior floors of the multi-level building have collapsed. Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries.

Firefighters remain at the warehouse and heavy smoke continues to pour from the building which is located near Butte Senior High School at the corner of Utah and Platinum streets. Currently Butte-Silver Bow and Boulevard Fire Department crews are on the scene.

The building is just one block form a multi-story apartment building, the National Hotel Apartments, which was destroyed by fire last week. Officials say the cause of the apartment fire was suspicious. The Produce Company fire is also just a few blocks from the Whalen Tire warehouse that caught fire and was destroyed by fire in June of 2009.

Fire officials at the scene are speaking with our reporter right now. We expect to have an update on what they say before noon.

Comments

Recent Top Stories