--
NEW ALBANY, Ind. --
A southern Indiana liquor store went up in flames early Tuesday morning.
The fire was reported at Bottles Unlimited just before 3:30 a.m. The store is located in the 400 block of State Street.
When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke and flames were pouring out of the roof of the one-story package store and its neighbor, a two-story building that housed a showroom for antiques.
"A very large fire, all hands-on fire for our department," says Captain Jodie Wilson of the New Albany Fire Department. "We had five engines and two aerials. Just about everything was on duty."
More than 30 firefighters were called in to battle the blaze. At one point, a portion of the exterior wall collapsed.
"Our companies attempted to make entry and attempted to control the fire however it was far advanced in the rear of the two-story building," Wilson said.
Investigators believe the blaze started in the back of the liquor store, possibly in or near a storage room.
"Obviously we have a liquor store with a lot of storage of hard liquors and high-proof beverages," Wilson said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it could take weeks before investigators are able to pinpoint the exact cause of the blaze.
Copyright 2010 by WLKY.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
