LATEST UPDATES: Massive fire displaces nearly 20 people in Birmingham after explosions heard
A HUGE FIRE STILL BURNING IN FIVE POINTS SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. BREAKING NEWS. A HUGE FIRE STILL BURNING AT FIVE POINTS SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS AS BREAKING NEWS ALL MORNING LONG. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW AS WE COME ON THE AIR AT 11:00 RIGHT NOW. FIRE CREWS SAID PEOPLE HEARD EXPLOSIONS BEFORE THIS FIRE STARTED AT A VACANT BUSINESS ON 20TH STREET SOUTH EARLY THIS MORNING. IT SPREAD TO TWO APARTMENTS AND CONDO BUILDINGS NEXT TO IT. THE RED CROSS HAS RESPONDED TO SAYING 18 PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED RIGHT NOW AS THEY WATCH THEIR APARTMENT GO UP IN FLAMES. YOU CAN SEE THE FLAMES AND SMOKE FROM THE MASSIVE AND DESTRUCTION FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM’S FIVE POINT SOUTH. THIS IS A VIEW OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, WITH THAT UPPER LEFT IMAGE SHOWING WHERE IT STARTED AT THAT VACANT HOME AS IT THEN SPREAD TO APARTMENT BUILDINGS NEXT TO IT. AND FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THAT THEY GOT A CALL ABOUT THIS FIRE AT 530 THIS MORNING. THIS IS WHAT WE SAW RIGHT AROUND 6:00 WHEN OUR CREW GOT THERE TO THE SCENE. THAT’S JUST ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM OUR STATION BY VULCAN. YOU CAN SEE THOSE FLAMES JUST RAGING OUT OF CONTROL. FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO BATTLE THE FLAMES THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. THIS VIDEO HERE SHOWS YOU JUST HOW BIG THOSE FLAMES HAVE BEEN AT THOSE NEIGHBORING APARTMENT BUILDINGS, AND WHAT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE MIXED USE BUILDINGS THERE IN THE RED CROSS. QUICK TO RESPOND TO HELP PEOPLE WHO WERE INSIDE OF THESE BUILDINGS. AND AS THE RED CROSS SPOKESPERSON TOLD US EARLIER, THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD. NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. THIS FIRE HAS NOT ONLY PRODUCED MASSIVE FLAMES, BUT A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE. TAKE A LOOK HERE FROM SKY 13 DRONE FOOTAGE. AT TIMES, THE SMOKE BILLOWING WAY UP INTO THE AIR. THE SKY WAS BLACK AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND WE DO KNOW THAT BIRMINGHAM FIRE HAS GIVEN A WARNING ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY IN THE TOXINS IN A FIRE THIS BIG. AS YOU SEE, ALL OF THAT SMOKE GOING INTO THE AIR THROUGH THE VIEW FROM SKY 13 HERE, WARNING PEOPLE TO STAY OUT OF THE AREA. NOT HEALTHY TO BREATHE THIS IN. AND WE SAW AIR QUALITY TAKE A DIP THROUGHOUT THE MORNING AS WELL. AND THEN WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS MAP SHOWING WHERE THIS FIRE IS EXACTLY ON 20TH STREET SOUTH. SO MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS AREA. BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS ALL ALONG THIS AREA, RIGHT IN FIVE POINTS SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM THERE. LET’S FIRST GO TO WVTM 13 JARVIS ROBERTSON, JARVIS. WELL, SCOTT, STILL AN ACTIVE SCENE RIGHT NOW. BUT FIREFIGHTERS THEY ARE SCALING BACK ON THEIR ATTACK OF THIS FIRE. NOW PLENTY OF THOSE HOT SPOTS THAT WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT. MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN PUT OUT. BUT YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE FIREFIGHTERS STILL WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS EXTINGUISHED. NOW, WE’VE LEARNED THAT THE FIRE DID START RIGHT HERE IN THIS CENTRE BUILDING STRUCTURE. I AM TOLD THAT THIS WAS A VACANT BUILDING. YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND IT. NOT TOO LONG AGO, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN THE APARTMENT BUILDING BEHIND WHERE THIS FIRE HAPPENED. HE SAYS THAT EARLY, EARLY THIS MORNING, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HIS BUILDING, THEY HEARD POPPING NOISES. HE SAYS THAT THEY LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, AND THAT’S WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE. SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE APARTMENT BUILDING BEHIND HIM, HE SAYS THAT THEY COULD SEE THAT ORANGE GLOW INTO THEIR WINDOW. ALSO, BEING ABLE TO FEEL THAT HEAT OFF OF THE FIRE. NOW, THIS IS A MULTI STRUCTURE FIRE. YOU CAN LOOK OVER HERE AT THIS APARTMENT BUILDING. THE ROOF OF IT IS GONE. THERE IS A HOT SPOT THAT IS IN THIS WINDOW RIGHT HERE. I ALSO SPOKE WITH SOMEONE WHO SAYS THAT THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO LIVED IN THIS APARTMENT BUILDING. THE ONLY THING SHE WAS ABLE TO COME OUT WITH WAS THE CLOTHES ON HER BACK. AND ALSO HER CAT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DEFINITELY DEVASTATED BY THIS FIRE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE RED CROSS EARLIER THIS MORNING, THEY SAID THAT AROUND 18 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. THEY ARE WORKING TO GET THOSE PEOPLE SOMEWHERE TO LIVE, SO THEY WON’T BE OUT IN THE COLD. ALSO, I HAVE SEEN THE ATF, THEY ARE ON SCENE AS WELL, SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE BIRMINGHAM FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE, THEY DID CALL THEM IN TO HELP WITH THE INVESTIGATION. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN CREWS FROM SPIRE HERE. THEY WERE ON THE SCENE TURNING OFF THE GAS TO AT LEAST ONE OF THESE STRUCTURES. NOW, I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE ON SCENE. WVTM 13 S KAYLA DAVIS. SHE HAS BEEN HERE THIS MORNING TALKING WITH PEOPLE AS WELL. AND SHE BRINGS YOU THE LATEST FROM HER VIEWPOINT. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT JARVIS, WE’VE BEEN HERE SINCE ABOUT 730 THIS MORNING AND IT’S DEFINITELY DIED DOWN ON THE STREET. THE STREET IS BLOCKED OFF. EARLIER, IT WAS PACKED WITH FIRE TRUCKS, DIFFERENT TRUCKS, PEOPLE WALKING BY. AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WALKING BY ARE THE COMMUNITY THAT’S CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THOSE BUILDINGS. AND I HAVE ONE PERSON RIGHT HERE NOW, CALEB, CALEB IS YOU ACTUALLY LIVE DOWN THE STREET. YOU DON’T LIVE DOWN THE STREET. YOU WORK DOWN THE STREET. TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH. ACTUALLY, TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU CAME UP AND YOU SAW THIS FIRE. ABSOLUTE. BASICALLY FEAR FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE HAVE MULTIPLE FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN THAT APARTMENT BUILDING. I WAS WORRIED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOSE. I MEAN, IT SOUNDS SLIGHTLY SELF-CENTERED, BUT LIKE JOBS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND HERE, LIKE THERE’S SO MANY BUSINESSES CROSSING BOTH SIDES OF THE STREETS AND EVERYWHERE. LIKE, I’M JUST SO TERRIBLY LUCKY THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT JUMPED OVER THE STREETS, BECAUSE THAT’S LIKE THE MAIN FEAR FOR EVERYONE. LIKE RIGHT NOW. YEAH. AND SOMETHING YOU TOLD ME EARLIER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAD TO EVACUATE. TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT. MY FRIEND. ACTUALLY, SHE SHE GOT OUT. EVERYONE GOT EVACUATED. EVERYTHING’S FINE. BUT EVERYTHING WAS LEFT IN THE BUILDING. THERE WAS MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY’D BE BACK IN IN, LIKE, AN HOUR. SHE COULD NOT FIND HER CAT AS SHE WAS COMING OUT, LIKE EVERYTHING. LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I’VE TALKED TO THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT BUILDING, HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING. THEY THOUGHT THEY’D BE BACK IN LIKE, 30 MINUTES. YEAH, LIKE AND HAS. HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN LEND SUPPORT? I SAW YOU HUG SOME OF THE PEOPLE OVER THERE TRYING TO GIVE YOUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, BUT HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANYONE ON THE STREET ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY? I HAVE NOT, I WISH I HAD MORE, IT’S BEEN A LOT OF SHOCK, HONESTLY, MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I CARE ABOUT ARE OKAY. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT’S ALL YOU CAN DO IN TIMES LIKE THIS IS MAKE SURE THAT AND JUST BE THERE, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU SO MUCH, CALEB. WELL, THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT HERE LOOKING TO LEND A HAND, LOOKING TO DO ANYTHING TO SUPPORT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DISPLACED FROM THESE RESIDENTIAL, THIS RESIDENTIAL AREA, ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES IS JUST DOWN THE WAY. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS THIS MORNING, I’M TOLD, DIDN’T HAVE SHOES ON, AND THEY’VE ACTUALLY DONATED SOME SHOES. SO THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN TO HELP SUPPORT, EVEN IF IT’S JUST GIVING A HUG OR, OR ASKING IF THEY’RE OKAY. THAT’S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. I’M GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS NOW. ALL RIGHT, KAYLA, THANKS SO MUCH. THIS JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM, BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS RELEASING A JOINT STATEMENT WITH COUNCILWOMAN CRYSTAL SMITHERMAN, WHO REPRESENTS THAT AREA WHERE THAT FIRE HAPPENED. THE COUNCIL THINKS THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY SAY THAT IT’S NOT BELIEVED THAT ANYONE WAS HURT. AND IT’S A BLESSING AND TESTAMENT TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS. AND THEY SAY, QUOTE, THAT OUR CITY’S EMERGENCY SERVICES EXEMPLIFY THE BEST OF PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WE OWE THEM A GREAT DEBT OF THANKS. AND OF COURSE, THAT FIVE POINT SOUTH AREA HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH. BUT AS KAYLA WAS JUST MENTIONING, BUSINESSES THEY’RE ALREADY PITCHING IN TO HELP SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHO NO LONGER HAVE A HOME. AND WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT DRONE VIDEO FROM SKY 13, AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED LAST YEAR, WAS THE MASS SHOOTING IN FIVE POINTS SOUTH. AND THEN THIS MASSIVE FIRE THAT HAS SPANNED A BLOCK. WHAT THIS VIDEO WAS TAKEN PROBABLY AROUND 945 UP IN THE AIR AS THE FIRE WAS STARTING TO GET UNDER CONTROL. SO THIS WASN’T AT ITS PEAK INTENSITY LIKE SOME VIDEOS YOU SAW EARLIER. BUT THROUGH THE EYES OF SKY 13 HERE YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH SMOKE WAS GETTING LIFTED INTO THE AIR THAT WAS UNHEALTHY TO BREATHE, THAT HAS THOSE TOXINS IN IT. WE SAW OUR AIR QUALITY GET WORSE AND WORSE AT A RAPID RATE. AND THIS REALLY SARAH, GIVES A GOOD IDEA OF JUST HOW BIG OF A SCENE THIS FIRE WAS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIREFIGHTERS, TO TRY TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. YEAH, WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL MORNING. YOU CAN SEE PART OF THAT EFFORT THERE WITH THOSE LADDER TRUCKS UP IN THE SKY. A TWO ALARM FIRE AND THEN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CALLED IN. ON TOP OF THAT. WHEN WE SPOKE TO THE FIRE CHIEF THERE ON THE SCENE, SHE SAID THAT THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY RESOURCES THEY’VE JUST BEEN CALLING IN PEOPLE TO HELP. SO THIS IS A MASSIVE EFFORT THERE TO GET THINGS UNDERWAY. WE ARE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING THIS STORY ALL DAY LONG, SO MAKE SURE TO STAY TUNED. WVTM 13 APP. STAY TUNED TO US HERE ON AIR AS WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AGAIN, JUST A MASSIVE FIRE THERE ON BIRMINGHAM SOUTHSIDE IMPACTING SO MANY FOLKS FROM RESIDENTS TO BUSINESSES THERE A LOT OF FOLKS IMPACTE
LATEST UPDATES: Massive fire displaces nearly 20 people in Birmingham after explosions heard
As flames and smoke continue to fill the Birmingham sky Friday and crews work to put the fire out, American Red Cross said at least 18 people don’t have a home to go back into in the Five Points South neighborhood.Latest updatesFire continues with flames and smoke visible from other townsAt least 18 people displaced; no injuriesFire officials ask people to avoid the area because of toxic smokeWhat we knowWatch WVTM 13 breaking news team coverage from Friday morning below.Fire crews said people heard explosions before the fire first started around 5:30 a.m. at a vacant business on 20th Street South. It then spread to two apartment and condominium buildings.The wood frame building, which had originally been a house, became fully engulfed in intense flames and the roof collapsed. Birmingham Fire and Rescue said the fire spread to a brick apartment and condominium buildings on either side. A total of three buildings have been involved. Within a couple of hours, one of the brick buildings where the fire had spread went back up in flames and became fully engulfed. Later flames spread in the other brick building.Listen to a fire official below discuss the toxic smoke.ATF is at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.Helping those affectedThere were people inside the apartments and condominium who were evacuated safely when the fire began, according to a fire department official.There were no reports of any injuries. A look at American Red Cross at the scene.Response from BirminghamCouncil leadership and Councilor Crystal Smitherman, who represents the district, released a joint statement Friday morning. “Like many others, we saw the massive plume of smoke early this morning coming from Southside. First, we’d like to thank the Birmingham Fire Department for their quick action and efforts to prevent the spread of this fire that engulfed several structures on historic Cobb Lane, some of which are still actively burning. “As of this moment, we do not believe anyone was injured in this fire and that is a blessing and a testament to our first responders. “Our city’s emergency services exemplify the best of public service, and we owe them a great debt of thanks. Our offices will continue to work closely with city officials and the affected residents to assess the damage, support recovery efforts and explore every possible avenue to restore one of our iconic cobblestone streets.” >> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
As flames and smoke continue to fill the Birmingham sky Friday and crews work to put the fire out, American Red Cross said at least 18 people don’t have a home to go back into in the Five Points South neighborhood.
Latest updates
- Fire continues with flames and smoke visible from other towns
- At least 18 people displaced; no injuries
- Fire officials ask people to avoid the area because of toxic smoke
What we know
Watch WVTM 13 breaking news team coverage from Friday morning below.
Fire crews said people heard explosions before the fire first started around 5:30 a.m. at a vacant business on 20th Street South. It then spread to two apartment and condominium buildings.
The wood frame building, which had originally been a house, became fully engulfed in intense flames and the roof collapsed.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue said the fire spread to a brick apartment and condominium buildings on either side. A total of three buildings have been involved.
Within a couple of hours, one of the brick buildings where the fire had spread went back up in flames and became fully engulfed. Later flames spread in the other brick building.
Listen to a fire official below discuss the toxic smoke.
ATF is at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Helping those affected
There were people inside the apartments and condominium who were evacuated safely when the fire began, according to a fire department official.
There were no reports of any injuries.
A look at American Red Cross at the scene.
Response from Birmingham
Council leadership and Councilor Crystal Smitherman, who represents the district, released a joint statement Friday morning.
“Like many others, we saw the massive plume of smoke early this morning coming from Southside. First, we’d like to thank the Birmingham Fire Department for their quick action and efforts to prevent the spread of this fire that engulfed several structures on historic Cobb Lane, some of which are still actively burning.
“As of this moment, we do not believe anyone was injured in this fire and that is a blessing and a testament to our first responders.
“Our city’s emergency services exemplify the best of public service, and we owe them a great debt of thanks. Our offices will continue to work closely with city officials and the affected residents to assess the damage, support recovery efforts and explore every possible avenue to restore one of our iconic cobblestone streets.”