Fire destroys abandoned packinghouse in Downtown Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An investigation is underway after a fire destroyed an abandoned packinghouse near Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno.

The fire started around 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the building on the corner of Tulare and G streets. Action News cameras were rolling as the abandoned building collapsed in on itself. It's not the first time a fire has happened here, but a fire of this size is making sure it'll be the last.

"We're not sure the cause of this fire, but transients started the last fire in January," said Chief Kerri Donis with the Fresno Fire Department.

Donis said the building is a total loss. Crews were still containing the damage well into the evening.

"We're going to have excavators and heavy equipment basically tearing stuff out of here, so that's going to go all the way through the night," said Koby Johns, public information officer for the fire department.

Johns says the California Classic bike race near Chukchansi Park wasn't affected by the fire or smoke. And the Grizzlies game went on as planned despite a power outage at the baseball field. The first pitch was pushed back to 7:35 p.m.

While firefighters were responding to the three-alarm fire in downtown, crews were called out to another two-alarm fire where two people were injured. Needless to say it was a busy Saturday for the Fresno Fire Department.

"We have at least 13 pieces of equipment here, we have 60 firefighters here on scene that's went to three alarms. We've had to recall about 20 firefighters from off-duty to come and back fill," said Johns.

It's unclear if any transients were inside the building when it started, but Johns says it's highly unlikely.

"Once the fire is out, we'll go through and search the building, but at this point it's just not safe to do so," he said.

Firefighters continued to put out hot spots to make sure that there were no flare-ups throughout the night.