The roof of a burning one-story warehouse collapsed just minutes after firefighters were ordered to get off and evacuated the building in Kansas City's northeast area.
Fire crews have taken a defensive mode in fighting the two-alarm fire that was reported about 5:30 a.m. at the building at East Ninth Street and Van Brunt Boulevard.
Arriving crews initially reported seeing little fire on the exterior of the building. As crews entered to fight the blaze, other firefighters went to the roof and found a significant amount of fire on the building's exterior.
Commanders ordered firefighters out of the building and off the roof. Four minutes after the building was evacuated, the roof collapsed.
Copyright 2012 - The Kansas City Star, Mo.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
