VIDEO: A landmark lumber yard that has called Modesto home for 100 years was damaged in a raging fire early Friday morning. Modesto Fire says, just after midnight, their crews initially responded to a report of a fire along the train tracks to the south side of American Lumber along 9th Street. Firefighters soon found a trash fire – but they then noticed a fire by the lumber yard’s warehouse.
More crews were called to the scene and the incident quickly went to three-alarm. At one point, Modesto Fire says they had more than 60 firefighters at the scene.
Several warehouses were burned in the fire, along with three to four storage units. Some forklifts, a sawmill and other equipment were also lost in the fire. Firefighters were able to save the lumber yard’s showroom, office space, and a large warehouse west of the property.