Fire destroys Allied Structures building

EPHRATA - A large commercial structure fire completely destroyed the storage building for an Ephrata business in the 1800 block of Basin Street S.W. Monday night.

Firefighters fought the dangerous blaze from above the structure, using three ladder trucks and a number of water cannons after the building's ceiling collapsed, Ephrata Battalion Chief Kyle Foreman said.

The business, Allied Structures, appears to be a total loss.

Power was shut off to neighboring businesses, including the Best Western Rama Inn, which had to relocate guests for the duration of the fire, Foreman said.

Basin Street S.W. was shut down for about three blocks, as several water supply lines stretched across the roadway. Traffic there was diverted until after 12 a.m., he said.

Several explosions rocked the burning building, he said, as the fire set off tanks filled with compressed, volatile gases.

"There were several large fireballs that came through the roof," he said.

No injuries were reported, Foreman said. The fire was confined to the storage building, an adjacent travel trailer, and an old bus near the southeast corner of the building.

The fire was first reported around 7 p.m. and was under control at 11 p.m., Foreman said.

Units from Grant County Fire Districts No. 3, 5, 7 and 13 assisted the Ephrata Fire Department with the blaze. About 65 firefighters were on the scene.

Ephrata fire units remained overnight to maintain security and watch for possible hot spots.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is expected to begin today, Foreman said, and could take several days to complete.

A damage estimate won't be available until investigators can meet with the building's owner, he said.

"From viewing the building last night, I'm going to suspect it's going to exceed a million dollars," Foreman said. "But we'll have to sit down with the occupant of the building today to try to determine what his property loss is."