Fire closes longtime fitness center in Fresno’s Tower District

A fire burned though a Valley Fitness Center early Tuesday morning, causing extensive damage and closing the long-running gym at Shields and Maroa avenues.

The fire was discovered around 4:30 a.m. by a staff member who was opening the gym for the day.

Brian Downs, Battalion Chief with the Fresno Fire Department said crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the roof of the building, but the morning fog made it difficult to determine where the fire was located. Once inside the building, firefighters found the fire had extended into the walls and was in an area covering one half of the locker rooms.

The department had 42 firefighters on scene and spent an hour and a half actively fighting the fire. Firefighters kept the fire contained to that single structure, Downs said. Crews were still on scene at sunrise just after 7 a.m., making sure the fire was fully extinguished inside before fire investigators arrived.

Because of the time it took to get the fire contained, crews rotated throughout the morning. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion, and as precaution, transported to the hospital, Downs said.

The Tower District’s longtime gym

Many will remember Valley Fitness Center from its days as the Centerpoint Athletic Club.

It operated under that name for more than three decades and was the neighborhood gym for those in the Tower District; known for its racquetball and handball courts, swimming pool and social atmosphere.

The club was sold and became part of Sierra Sports Clubs in 2015. It is now part of Valley Fitness, which operates more than a dozen locations around the Valley and on the Central Coast, including four in Fresno.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM.