Bloomington Fire officials say some good decision-making kept its personnel safe from a partial roof collapse at a strip mall while fighting a fire Thursday night.
Crews responded around 9:21 p.m. to the fire at the strip mall at 1115 E. Lafayette St. on the city's southeast side. It took around three hours to extinguish the fire. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, officials said.
Crews located the extra-alarm fire within the attic space of the building's truss roof system.
"Recognizing the inherent dangers of this type of construction, which has historically led to sudden catastrophic failures and firefighter fatalities, including the Waldbaum’s Supermarket Fire (1978), Hackensack Ford (1988), and a Chicago commercial building fire (2010), command ordered an immediate evacuation," the Bloomington Fire Department said in a statement. "Within 20 minutes of evacuation, a significant portion of the roof collapsed without warning, demonstrating the critical importance of the decision to withdraw personnel."
No civilians were injured. The fire caused significant damage to the strip mall. There are several businesses in the area, including a battery shop and a salon.
"We remind business owners to install and maintain a fire alarm system," the fire department said.
