Firefighters in Canton battled a massive blaze late Wednesday night that destroyed a vacant three-story apartment building on 5th Street NE.
The Canton Fire Department was called to the structure at 707 5th St. NE around 11 p.m. and found flames shooting from the second and third floors upon arrival. Crews worked from ladders outside the building because the structure was unsafe and already condemned due to previous hoarding and structural issues.
According to early reports from bystanders, two or three people may have been inside the building’s upper floors when the fire started. About an hour into the response, a man exited from the first floor. Medics attempted to check his condition, but officials said he became combative and fled the scene. His current condition is unknown.
Fire officials said the building is considered a total loss, with damage estimated at about $131,800. Crews will need to use heavy equipment to extinguish hot spots and search for any possible victims once it is safe to enter.
No fatalities have been confirmed, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
