Residents Escape Building Fire In McAlester

Residents Escape Building Fire In McAlester

BROUGHT YOU LAST NIGHT.

THEINVESTIGATION CONTINUESTODAY INTO WHAT CAUSED AFIRE ALONG MAIN STREET INDOWNTOWN McALESTER.YOU SEE IT HERE... ATWO-STORY BUILDING IS NOWREDUCED TO RUBBLE, AS FIRECREWS WATERED IT DOWN ANDWATCHED FOR HOT SPOTSOVERNIGHT.AS THE FIRE GREW, PEOPLE INTHE UPSTAIRS APARTMENTS WERETRAPPED INSIDE-- YOU SEETHEM HERE-- FALLING OUT OFWINDOWS TO BE RESCUED BYPEOPLE BELOW.

THEBUILDING'S OWNER TOLD THEMcALESTER NEWS-CAPITAL THATALL THE RESIDENTS ESCAPED...BUT FOUR WERE TAKEN TO THEHOSPITAL TO BE CHECKED OUT.THE McALESTER NEWS-CAPITALALSO CAPTURED THESEINCREDIBLE IMAGES OF THEFIRE.

IT STARTED JUST AFTERFIVE IN A BUILDING, WITH ABABY CLOTHING STORE ON THEFIRST FLOOR, AND APARTMENTSON THE SECOND.

ALL SEVENTENANTS LOST THEIR HOMES.THE RED CROSS IS NOW HELPINGWITH HOUSING.

THE OWNER OF ABUSINESS ACROSS THE STREETTELLS US IT ALL WENT UP VERYQUICKLY."I knew there probably wasfreon and things like thatfrom years ago possibly inthe back of there from whenit was an operatingbusiness, and I think that'swhat probably ignited andwhen it ignited that'sprobably when you saw thefire just really come upthrough the roof like itdid, i mean those flamesleaped through that roofprobably 15-20 foot aboveit, it was quite a deal.SADLY, CREWS TELL US A DOGDIED.

WE'RE TOLD ONCEINVESTIGATORSINSPECT THE BUILDING IN THEDAYLIGHT TODAY, THEY'LL WORKTO INVESTIGATE WHAT CAUSEDTHIS FIRE.