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Fire department briefly suspends calls while battling 2-alarm commercial blaze in north Fresno

Firefighters on a Fresno Fire Department ladder truck put water on a fire burning in a commercial building at First Street and Bullard Avenue on Fresno on Friday, May 7, 2021.
Firefighters on a Fresno Fire Department ladder truck put water on a fire burning in a commercial building at First Street and Bullard Avenue on Fresno on Friday, May 7, 2021. ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

The Fresno Fire Department knocked down a two-alarm fire at a commercial building in north Fresno on Friday.

Some 25 firefighters battled the blaze in the 6000 block of First Street near Bullard Avenue. The department relocated one engine and suspended service to medical aid calls as a result. The suspension was lifted after about a half-hour, according to the fire department.

The fire was reported at 10:30 a.m. Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the building. Crews determined the fire was in the attic of the building, and firefighters went into defensive mode.

In a tweet from the fire department, large plumes of smoke could be seen coming from the building.

The area was evacuated as precaution. No injures were reported.

Work was being done on the roof prior to the fire, but the department doesn’t know if the two things are related.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire department has had a busy few months. In April alone, the department fought 678 fires, which it called “an all-time record for the department.” There were several fatalities, including one at the Trails End Mobile Home Park.

On Sunday, 16 apartments were damaged at a complex in the Sunnyside area.

This story was originally published May 7, 2021 at 12:07 PM.

JT
Joshua Tehee
The Fresno Bee
Joshua Tehee covers breaking news for The Fresno Bee, writing on a wide range of topics from police, politics and weather, to arts and entertainment in the Central Valley.
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