Massive Home Depot fire results in Shelter-in-place advisory for South San Jose, still no cause
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KION-TV) UPDATE APRIL 11, 2022 at 6:08 p.m.-- The San Jose Fire Department said as of Monday they are still at the scene of a five-alarm fire that burned down a Home Depot on Saturday.
Firefighters are working to extinguish flare-ups from debris trapped below the collapsed roof.
The cause is still under investigation and updates will be provided as soon as possible.
MEDIA: Please see statement below regarding the Home Depot fire from San José Fire Chief Robert Sapien, Jr. pic.twitter.com/1up1tngUDn
— San José Fire Dept. (@SJFD) April 11, 2022
ORIGINAL STORY
People living or working in South San Jose were put under a shelter-in-place advisory until Sunday afternoon, after a Home Depot was engulfed in flames, sending thick gray smoke into the air.
The fire that began Saturday evening forced many people in the surrounding area of 920 Blossom Hill road to evacuate.
This Home Depot is located in a dense shopping center across the street from Westfield Oakridge Mall.
The San Jose Fire Department confirmed that the fire began in the back of the store in the lumber section around 5:30pm. They are still investigating its cause.
This was considered a five-alarm fire and it took roughly 6 hours to get it under control after it had erupted.
San Jose Fire Battalion said that multiple highly flammable store items that interacted with the fire, such as lumber and paint thinner, made the fire especially difficult to combat.
At least 30 fire units with 100 firefighters came to fight the flames.
Some of them were sent to neighborhoods around the store to help make sure the flames didn't reach nearby homes.
Crews continued to work throughout the night to clean up hot spots and keep an eye out for embers trying to drift away to surrounding homes and businesses.
As of Sunday morning there was still threat of hazardous gasses floating through the air.
The San Jose Fire Hazardous Incident Team has deemed the air quality in the area "unhealthy".
People in South San Jose are advised to close their windows and doors as well as not use any air conditioning systems.
There have been no reports of missing people or injuries caused by the fire.
