By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Fire has heavily damaged B&J Skate Center on North Belt Highway; likely a total loss to the popular recreational center.
Savannah Assistant Fire Chief, Brian Kennedy, says flames engulfed the roof by the time firefighters arrived.
“The call came in at 7:05am; had crews on scene within five minutes. Upon their arrival, about three-fourths of the building had flames showing, what appeared to be through the roof,” Kennedy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “After the fire was extinguished, it appears that possibly solar panels or something on the roof that was burning itself.”
Kennedy says though firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze and keep it from spreading to the interior, they likely didn’t save the structure.
“Building will be a total loss, because of smoke and heat damage,” Kennedy says. “But no interior damage due to fire.”
It took firefighters less than an hour to get the fire under control. The building was vacant. No one was harmed.
Kennedy says that by the time firefighters arrived, the roof of the building was engulfed in flames.
“When we arrived, everything was in the roof. We initially met an attack inside the building with no flames showing,” Kennedy says. “Then we got a ladder up on the roof and found that all the fire was contained to the exterior of the building.”
Kennedy says it appeared the fire began at the roof’s solar panels or from an air conditioning unit on the roof.
Savannah called upon the Cosby-Helena Fire Protection District and the St. Joseph Fire Department to assist. Approximately 50 firefighters responded.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ.