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Fire destroys building in the light industrial area

May 24, 2018 | 1:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT – A giant plume of black smoke could be seen billowing up above the light industrial area in the city’s southwest Wednesday night.

The blaze broke out at the building housing Bamboo Innovations and Deadbolt Construction, on 18th Street SW.

An off duty firefighter spotted the smoke and called it in.

Trucks from all three fire stations responded to the blaze just before 7:00 p.m. and extra crews had to be called in to fight the flames.

Firefighters worked until around midnight to get the fire under control, firefighters were still on scene Thursday dousing hot spots. The flames didn’t spread to neighbouring businesses.

Fire Chief Brian Stauth said it could be a day or more until investigators can get into the building to do their full investigation.

“We’ve got a structurally damaged wall in the back that we’re probably going to have to remove,” Stauth explained. “Then we can start to remove the collapsed roof piece by piece, and hopefully that will allow us to get to where the seat of the fire was and see what caused it.”

Stauth said they believe the fire likely started in the back portion of the building and spread to the roof.

Fire investigators will be working alongside the building’s insurance company to determine how the fire was started.