Roof Collapses As Fire Tears Through Commercial Building On Detroit's East Side
DETROIT (WWJ) - A quick-moving fire has nearly consumed a two-story commercial building on Detroit's east side.
The fire took off early Wednesday morning at the Metro PCS building on East Warren Avenue near Audubon Road.
Senior Fire Chief Jack Wiley said the fire appears to have started at Reggie's VIP Cuts barbershop and moved to the nearby cellular phone store.
"It went across the firewall going toward the east side first and it's done doubled back on as it came back west toward this building here, Metro PCS," he said.
The fire caused the roof to collapse and water used to quell the flames has left the floor "spongy," said Wiley, so firefighters are being kept from entering the building.
"We don't want anyone to go in because the ceiling has already collapsed and we don't know how sturdy the floor is ... so we didn't want to send anybody back in there," he said.
Efforts are being focused on keeping the fire from spreading further. No injuries have been reported.
Thomas Ginn, who lives just across the alley from the burning building, said he was impressed by how swift crews were working.
"I was glad that they hurried up and got some water on that because at first, they couldn't get into the building," he said.
A cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Warren Avenue remains closed in both directions at Audubon Road as crews continue their work.
