116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
PHOTOS: Fire engulfs northeast side of Sinclair site
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department called in additional resources Thursday evening as fire engulfed the front side of the building.
As crews worked on demolition, fresh air caused rapid growth of the fire and increased smoke production. Flames reached heights of fifty feet.
Demolition crews withdrew from the structure as the fire increased in size and firefighters began to attack the fire with pre-positioned ladders and fire hoses.
At 7:00 p.m. fire crews were applying more than 2,000 gallons of water per minute to suppress the fire. Firefighters will remain on scene throughout the night as portable lighting units have been brought in to illuminate the scene.
Photos
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Smoke pours from the vacant Sinclair meatpacking plant as the fire continues to burn on Thursday, December 17, 2009. (Crystal LoGiudice/The Gazette)
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