MIDLAND, WA – Firefighters from Central Pierce Fire & Rescue responded to a reported commercial structure fire in the 9700 block of Portland Ave just after 9:30 a.m. on May 27.  Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire and black smoke coming from three sides of the old Midland feed mill.  This business has been vacant for approximately 15 years and had a previous fire in the building shortly after it became vacant in the mid nineties.

 

Firefighters were well aware of the dangers of this old structure and a defensive fire attack was initiated. This old wooden building has heavy corrugated metal siding and roofing which allowed the fire to continue to grow inside of the building and hampered Firefighters who had set up large master stream devices and aerial ladders attempting to get water to the seat of the fire. Firefighters, for a short time period, shut down all of the attack lines in order to allow the fire to get large enough and create a large enough opening in the structure so a water attack would be effective.

 

The fire is under investigation by the Pierce County Fire Marshal’s Office. Damage is being listed at $100,000 dollars as most of the building's equipment and valuable materials were removed years ago. There were no reported injuries.