Firefighters respond to major structure fire in downtown Modesto, investigating cause

Within a couple of hours early Friday, Modesto fire crews responded to two reports of commercial structure fires.



At about 12:30 a.m., crews went to the 600 block of I street for what ended up being a three-alarm blaze, a category firefighters use to summon more personnel and equipment to a serious fire.

Upon arrival, the firefighters found a boarded-up single-story building at 914 Seventh St., where fire was burning on the side. Eventually, the flames spread to the attic of the building and then began to burn the roof. An adjacent building at 701 Seventh St. also was minimally damaged by the fire.

Crews were on scene about four hours. The cause and origin of the fire were under investigation Friday.

Shortly before 3 a.m., crews were dispatched to another report of a commercial structure fire, this one on the 800 block of Needham Street, about a mile away. Crews found a trash bin burning up against Alex and Sons Liquor store, 817 Needham. The fire was extinguished before it extended to the interior of the business.