FRANKFORT, Ind. – A firefighter was taken to the hospital as crews responded to a fire at a Frankfort business Tuesday morning that effectively shut down the downtown area.
According to the Frankfort Fire Department, someone walking past a pet grooming business at 50 W. Washington St. noticed the fire around 9:30. Fire crews arrived within minutes to see smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters still battling fire in downtown Frankfort. Chief says one firefighter hurt with leg injury after the floor caved in, brought to hospital pic.twitter.com/6PsWkrdvtv
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) January 22, 2019
Frankfort police asked people to avoid the downtown area. Investigators believe the fire started in a pet grooming business and spread to a sports bar and apartments nearby. Several people were evacuated from the sports bar and apartments, but no injuries were reported.
A firefighter was pulled out of the building and taken to the hospital after suffering a leg injury. Other firefighters rescued him after a “mayday” call when the floor caved in. He was taken to a Lafayette-area hospital and was due to be released in the afternoon.
More than 40 firefighters from the Frankfort and Lebanon fire departments responded. Frankfort Fire Chief John Kirby said firefighters spent most of the effort on the defensive as they tried to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings.
Frankfort City Light & Power shut down power in the area as a precaution.