Firefighters are battling a large warehouse fire in downtown Fresno on Thursday as flames engulf the structure and threaten a neighboring building, officials said.

The warehouse, located north of Hamilton Avenue on L Street, was fully involved when crews arrived, a Fresno Fire Department spokesperson told GV Wire.

People were in the warehouse but were ale to escape safely without injury.

An adjacent warehouse was evacuated as firefighters worked to prevent the blaze from spreading. Officials said crews adopted a defensive strategy on the burning warehouse because of the intensity of the fire.

The roof of the warehouse was collapsing as firefighters continued operations, officials said.

Damaged power lines and exploding pressurized metal cylinders created hazardous conditions, forcing crews to pull back and take a defensive approach to fighting the blaze.

Officials said 46 firefighters are battling the blaze, while rail traffic in the area has been suspended. Fire crews are expected to remain at the scene for several more hours.

(GV Wire’s Edward Smith contributed to this story)

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