A fire broke out in the middle of the night and the Fort Mylner Shopping Center on St. Thomas was still “fully engulfed” in flames at 7:30 a.m. Monday.
*Update: As of 11:52 a.m. Monday, fire personnel remained on the scene with fire still burning. George said the entire fleet of nine trucks had been sent to the scene with 20 personnel.
“We’ve got it under control, but still need to get inside to get to the hot spots,” Fire Service Director Daryl George said from the scene.
The fire, which broke out at around 12:35 a.m., blazed through the night as firefighters fought to reign it in.
George said issues such as not enough hydrants in the area had hampered progress.
McKenzie Penn, who lives on Raphune Hill, a few miles to the west of the shopping center, said he was awakened around 3 a.m. “My house was very smoky. I couldn’t get back to sleep.”
Upon learning of the fire, a northside resident said, “I heard sirens this morning. I bet it was the Dorothea station heading there.?
George said he would provide further information once the fire was doused.
