KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings
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Check out the video above of the major structural collapse at a large building at Third and Elm Streets in downtown Grand Island, Nebraska that began last (Sunday) night. The building housed an antique store and two other businesses. More video of the fire below. Thanks to Randy Chamberlain for sending this video to STATter911.com.
Grand Island Fire Chief Cory Schmidt says crews found fire in the roof of the more than 80 year old multi-business building, including Ron’s Transmission and J&J’s Used Furniture, when they arrived around 8 p.m. Sunday night.
Incident commanders on the scene pulled firefighters out before most of the east side of the building collapsed, shooting flames and smoke into the sky.
“Right now what we have is a building that is unsaveable, so we’re not going to put people in danger to save a structure that can’t be saved,” says Schmidt.
Schmidt says fires in older downtown buildings can burn instensly and spread easily. He says this particular structure did not have a sprinkler system, where a modern one of that size would.
