LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After working for hours Monday evening to put out a massive fire, Louisville firefighters remained on the scene through Tuesday.
According to Louisville Fire’s Battalion Chief Bobby Cooper, it broke out at a four-story warehouse at the intersection of Caldwell and Jackson Street, in Smoketown, around 4:30 p.m. Monday.
No one was inside the building, and no one was injured.
Within half an hour, parts of the building collapsed as firefighters worked to put out the flames. Cooper said crews had evacuated the building shortly before.
Tuesday, he told WHAS11 that fire prevention officials were alerted to potential hazards at the building back in December of 2022. He said officials inspected the building and were working with Wayside Christian Mission, which owned it, to make structural improvements.
Cooper said knowing the risks of the building likely saved the lives of firefighters.
"The critical part is for our firefighters to know what kind of buildings they are and what hazards they present," he said. "Beyond the fire ground is where the life-saving work really began."
Next door to the warehouse, Curtis Taylor of non-profit Loaves and Fishes assessed the damage at his own building Tuesday.
Loaves and Fishes serves about 100 people out of its facility on Caldwell Street, providing food to people in need.
That's exactly what Taylor was doing just before the fire broke out.
"I was just here two hours ago getting some food together to take to two needy families," he said.
Taylor said his building primarily suffered smoke and water damage, though debris did also destroy a van he used often.
"I'm just down, not fully over, but down," he said. "I do have total faith."
Tuesday, arson investigators continued to look into the cause of the fire.
Because the structure was still unsafe to investigate from the inside, Cooper said they were relying on outside footage like Ring doorbells.
Monday evening, Wayside Christian Mission told WHAS11 they had recent issues with people breaking into the warehouse.
"When you look at the size of the building and the extent of the damage, it's just not safe to send humans in there right now," Cooper said.
Cooper noted Louisville is an old city, so there are many older buildings that are more vulnerable than others.
He emphasized that's why it is important for fire prevention teams to lay the groundwork of safety.
"It worked out yesterday in a way that saved lives of our firefighters," he said.
Cooper said investigators would continue their work through Tuesday, and likely wouldn't know the cause of the fire for some time.
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