FIRE DESTROYS VEHICLE, DAMAGES DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSE

At approximately 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday (May 6th), According to SJRFD Platoon Chief Ed Sears, The St. John’s Regional Fire Department were alerted to a commercial structure fire on Shaw Street in downtown St. John’s, when a caller reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the rear of the building. firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke and an active fire inside the warehouse.

Fire crews quickly launched an aggressive attack, deploying attack lines while establishing two water supply lines to support firefighting operations. Crews also used chainsaws to cut through the building’s garage doors in order to gain access to the seat of the fire.

Once the bulk of the flames were knocked down, Ed Sears also confirmed the fire had been contained to a portion of the commercial structure and that the warehouse was vacant at the time of the incident.

A commercial vehicle located inside the building was destroyed by the fire. The warehouse itself sustained extensive fire, smoke, and water damage.

Firefighters also utilized an aerial ladder to battle the blaze from above. Crews worked from the roof, using chainsaws and pike poles to open up the structure and extinguish remaining hotspots.

There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire has not yet been released.