A fire that started in a strip mall early Wednesday morning drew more than 50 firefighters and a dozen fire engines to respond to the scene, according to the Louisville Fire Department.
The firefighters were dispatched at 4:04 a.m. to a facility with an attached garage and multiple stores at S. 18th and W. Jefferson streets, Louisville Fire spokesperson Maj. Bobby Cooper said, in Louisville's Russell neighborhood. Officials had to call a second alarm on the blaze and were still on the scene after 7 a.m. in a defensive operation, hitting the fire with water from the outside instead of the inside.
"The building will be a total loss," Cooper added.
Cooper said the building is owned by SKS Tax Service. At least three businesses were housed at the strip mall – Fire & Desire (a restaurant), Kendrick's Kuts (a barbershop) and Hip Hop Sweet Shop (a bakery).