EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The scene of the Morton Warehouse continued to smolder earlier this morning, even rekindling itself after the building caught fire Monday morning. Fire crews have been on the scene throughout the day extinguishing hot spots as the fire continues to burn itself out. After a fire this severe, that process could take days.
The fire was reported just before 5 a.m. on Monday morning at the warehouse on East Franklin Street and Morton Avenue. EFD Division Chief Mike Larson says it took fire crews around four hours to gain control of the blaze, as the wind and dry conditions made fighting the fire more difficult.
The huge plume of smoke that was emitted from the fire could be seen across several counties – including Vanderburgh, Posey and Henderson counties. The fire departments also received several calls from people who thought there were fires in their area because of the thick cloud of smoke that was blowing over them.
Several historic buildings were damaged, with the extent of the fire being an estimated two blocks by four blocks. While some of Evansville’s historic architecture was lost, the good news is that there were no injuries reported.
In an evening briefing, Chief Larson called the fire unique and complex, due to its large size and close proximity to other buildings. When asked if there was any concern of the fire spreading, Larson says it is 100% contained.
