TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -
Black
smoke billowed into the sky above 29th street Monday afternoon. But other
factors alerted
neighbors to the four alarm fire.
"That
it really stinks," said U.S. Pest mechanic Darek Muszynski, who took
pictures and video of the fire in its early stages while he took action.
"We
were right next door, so we smelled smoke and we seen it and we looked out
back. there was like 10 foot flames coming out the door, so, we got everyone
out of the building and we notified everybody," Muszynkis said.
"That's
the real key here, get everybody evacuated, make sure that everybody is safe,
and then save as many businesses as possible," said Tucson Fire Department
Captain Barrett Baker.
More
than fifty firefighters fought the flames for more than two hours after an
unspecified problem with a piece of equipment in the t-shirt business in the
strip mall caused the blaze. The fire was so large that firefighters
could only get a look inside once everything was under control. The fire
began about three o'clock but was not under control until after five.
"You
can't get the water inside there at certain times unless you're inside and yet
we're not going to put ourselves in that position. you're just hitting it from
the outside, eventually things collapse and you're able to pinch it in,"
Baker said.
"It
was pretty calm 'till this. now we just gotta pick up the pieces,"
Muszynski said.
No
damage estimate was available Monday night.
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