A commercial building was heavily damaged by a fire in Upland on May 3, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Crews were dispatched to the 500 block of North Mountain Avenue at 2:42 a.m. after 9-1-1 callers reported seeing smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters initiated an offensive fire attack to try to extinguish the flames at the 30,000 square foot, two-story building, which was doing business as a frame gallery at the time of the fire.
Crews simultaneously worked on an interior fire attack, search for potential victims and vertical ventilation. Due to the fire’s size and occupancy complexity, a second alarm was quickly struck.
Despite firefighters’ efforts, the fire continued to grow, pushing crews to attack it from a defensive posture. Once outside, firefighters utilized multiple ladder trucks and hose-lines to suppress the blaze. Crews shifted their priorities to keeping the fire from spreading to adjacent occupancies.
At the height of the fire, about 3,000 gallons per minute were flowing to knock it back. Multiple structural collapses occurred during the incident.
The fire was ultimately brought under control in about two hours. Multiple exposure buildings were saved by firefighters. No injuries were reported.
The incident remains under investigation.