Birmingham, AL, October 13--About 60 Birmingham firefighters expected to work through the night Tuesday to contain a volatile fire at Flooring Creations Warehouse at 37th Street and Fourth Terrace North, according to the Birmingham News.
Firefighters were called to the scene about 10:30 p.m., entered the building, saw smoke and fire and retreated to a safe position, Capt. C.W. Mardis said.
At least three explosions of propane tanks kept firefighters in defensive mode for hours at the three-alarm blaze.
At first, white, gray and black smoke billowed out of the roof and doors of the one-story brick building, also home to several empty storefronts. Plumes of fire and sparks leaping from black balls of smoke made the building look at times like a volcanic eruption. Two power lines fell as the east side of the building collapsed about 11:30 p.m.
"Fortunately, no one was in that area," Mardis said. No one was hurt in the fire but he expected it to cause several million dollars' worth of damage.
The warehouse was full of carpets, synthetic floorings, glues and propane cylinders used for forklifts, he said. Because of the synthetic materials and the danger of toxic gases, firefighters were cautious.
Firefighters were able to move several propane tanks to safety and cool them off.
Jim Bingham and Joe Grooms, truck drivers for Strategic Transportation, along with Grooms' son, Corey, came to watch the fire after they smelled smoke. The men, whose company is based nearby, said the heat had blown open the back door of the warehouse.
The three drank bottled water as they watched orange clouds roll over the top of the building. "It beats watching reruns on TV," Grooms said.
Firefighters continued to advance on the fire well after midnight and planned to stay in place to watch for hot spots through the night, Mardis said.
