EFD shares new information on massive weekend fire on Division St.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The Evansville Fire Department shares new information on the massive weekend fire that destroyed Pike’s Mattress on Division Street.

Pike’s Mattress closed at 4 on Saturday and minutes later, flames could be seen out of the third story of the building.

Deputy Chief Kim Garrett says it was all hands on deck, with 60 firefighters helping to put out the high rising flames. She says the weather that day played a huge factor in how EFD fought the fire, detailing how hot the day was already before the fire took off.

“We had a heavy fire load in the building as far as what they did as far as they were mattress sales that’s going to create a heavy, heavy fire load and put off a lot of BTUs along with the construction of the building itself it is, going to be timber so that’s going to put off a lot of heat,” says Garrett. “We’re sitting here. We’re with the Lloyd Expressway in the wall and it was just kind of bouncing off of it.”

The fire caused severe damage, leaving the historic building in a pile of rubble.

EFD says at 4:50 p.m. the first wall collapsed, and shortly after three firefighters suffered injuries while executing a defensive attack against the flames.

“We had our first firefighter that unfortunately had to go to the hospital we had three firefighters that were transported to the hospital,” says Garrett. “All with heat stress related injuries to them were released that same evening once stayed overnight for observation. He was released yesterday afternoon.”

Garrett says the building’s age could also be a factor in the fire, but this is still considered an active investigation.

EFD says the state fire marshal is in town helping with the investigation and no cause has been determined.

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