No injuries reported in structure fire

CLOVIS - Fire crews battled a structure fire Sunday afternoon at 13th and Mitchell streets, with minor heat exhaustion to two firefighters but no other injuries reported.

The fire remains under investigation, said Clovis Fire Chief Mike Nolen, and the investigation as to its cause has been turned over to the state fire marshal.

That's "because of the size of the building, the type of previous occupancy - it is a high-value building - and if we can't get right in there and determine a cause, such as the case with this one," Nolen told The News.

Lt. Gerald Kilmer of the Clovis Fire Department said the call for the "castle building" on the southwest corner of the intersection came around 2 p.m. and crews battled the fire for about 45 minutes. Nolen said cleanup took another four or five hours.

After the first 20 minutes or so of battling the blaze, two firefighters were taken back to the main station and treated for heat exhaustion, Nolen said. The fire chief said it was a lesson for everybody of the need to stay hydrated in high temperatures and mindful of how the humidity can creep up on you. That's all the more relevant when you're wearing heavy gear, in close proximity to hot flames and focused on a job at hand.

"It's just like baking a potato. That gear holds in their body heat as much as it keeps out heat from the fire," Nolen said. "They put their minds to work there and they forget to take care of themselves."

Nolen said the firefighters "denied need for transport to the hospital," were initially treated in an ambulance on scene with IVs and returned to service that evening.

Edward Becchina wasn't in town Sunday, but has resided beside the castle-styled building for about 10 months. He said he has seen many people using the structure as a temporary shelter.

"People were in and out of there all the time," Becchina added.

Eleazar Lodoza was working at a fast-food restaurant across the road at the time and told The News he saw "white and brown smoke" streaming from the building's tooth-shaped parapets.

Much of the building's exterior was intact, with some doorways boarded up in wood after being knocked down during the fire. The interior is a different story.

"At this time it's probably a safety hazard concern for us because of the condition of the interior, yet at the same time we don't do anything forward on that until after the state fire marshal and our fire marshal have concluded (their investigation)," Nolen said.

Nolen said he doesn't know the building's last period of occupancy, but that at one time it housed a "team builder's counseling service, years ago."

State fire marshal representatives did not return calls Tuesday from The News.