FARGO, N.D. (KFGO) – An explosion and fire ripped through a Fargo business Sunday night and destroyed the large garage, one of about a half dozen attached businesses in the building.
The blast was reported shortly after 7 p.m. in the 3300 block of 15th Street South.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Mangin tells KFGO News the force of the explosion was so powerful, a large garage door from the business was blown off and landed in the middle of the street. The roof on that part of the building also collapsed. The interior of the building was gutted.
Mangin says the building was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived on scene and a third alarm was called to bring in additional firefighters.
The fire extended to another attached business and also caused some minor damage to another business on the south end of the building.
Firefighters battled the fire in water up to their knees, causing near-hypothermia to three firefighters. One crew member was transported to the hospital to be checked over and then released.
Mangin says the building is so badly compromised, it’s dangerous and that it will be some time before investigators are able to enter the structure to examine a cause for the explosion and fire.
Crews remained on fire watch overnight on guard for flare-ups.