A building wall collapsed as a five-alarm fire engulfed a Charlotte, North Carolina construction site, according to The Daily Caller. Exposed wood reportedly allowed the fire to spread rapidly with flames at around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson.
More than 90 firefighters were called to the scene and could not initially put the fire out, which began at 9 a.m. One worker has reportedly died in the incident and two workers remain missing. 15 people were rescued from the area. A tower crane operator working on the site was also rescued and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
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Firefighters have also had trouble escaping the fire, according to Johnson. He told CBS that a mayday was called twice as a result. Johnson did not specify what may have called the fire, as it remains unknown, however, assured that they are investigating. One user who posted a video of the fire from across his office alleged that a fire investigator speculated that it may have been a welding torch.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department issued road closure alerts due to the fire in the South Park area. They advised residents not to call 911 unless there was an emergency because the fire department was continuing to put out the fire.
Officials believe that the fire was accidental. The company developing the site, Mill Creek Residential, issued a statement to CBS saying that they are putting together all the information about what occurred. They stated that their primary concern is keeping everyone safe.
In February, a five-alarm fire broke out in the Bronx at a C-Town supermarket. 200 firefighters and EMS personnel reportedly worked to put the fire out and offer aid as they tried to prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby gas station.
