Photos: Massive fire at Kissimmee pawn shop; 1 firefighter hurt, official says
Pawn shop destroyed in Kissimmee fire
A pawn shop was destroyed in an early morning fire in Kissimmee that injured one firefighter and shut down traffic in the area for several hours, authorities said.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A massive fire sparked at a pawn shop Friday morning in Kissimmee, sending columns of fire and smoke into the air, according to the Kissimmee Fire Department.
One firefighter was transported to the hospital for potential heat exhaustion, officials said. All road closures have been lifted.
What we know:
The fire was reported around 6 a.m., but Kissimmee Fire Department officials believe the building had likely been burning for some time before it was discovered.
Crews responded to Simple Pawn & Jewelry on W. Vine Street where they found heavy smoke and flames at the scene and were forced to fight the fight defensively, said Joe Leone, Deputy Fire Chief of Operations.
Within about 15 minutes of arriving, firefighters were forced to switch from an interior attack to a defensive operation after the building's roof collapsed. Officials said the collapse trapped the fire beneath the roof, requiring crews to allow portions of the structure to burn through before they could fully extinguish the flames.
Photos: Simple Pawn & Jewelry fire in Kissimmee
"A lot of fire. A lot of fire," he told reporters during a Friday afternoon news conference.
An excavator was brought to the scene to help pull down unstable walls and give firefighters access to remaining hot spots.
No one was inside the store or the building at the time of the fire.
About 40 firefighters responded to the blaze. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion. Fire officials also said crews heard several popping sounds during the fire but could not determine whether they were caused by ammunition or another source.
What we don't know:
The Florida State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire. Officials said the exact origin of the blaze has not yet been determined.
The Source: This story was written with information released by the City of Kissimmee.