Firefighters mounted a multi-alarm response near 2nd and Gratiot as one building collapsed and traffic shut down around the riverfront.
ST. LOUIS — A massive fire burned through multiple connected warehouses near 2nd and Gratiot streets early Friday, prompting a five- to six-alarm response and drawing more than 200 firefighters to downtown. Crews attacked the flames from outside after portions of at least one structure failed, sending embers and smoke across the riverfront area.
Officials said the fire started overnight and was reported around 2:30–3 a.m. at a brick warehouse south of downtown’s core and quickly spread along adjoining buildings. By sunrise, thick smoke was visible from interstates, and police had cordoned off streets around Broadway, Chouteau, and nearby intersections. The St. Louis Fire Department said companies were operating in defensive mode because of collapse hazards in the aging factory buildings. As of midmorning, no fatalities were confirmed. The cause remains under investigation, and inspectors planned to assess structural stability once the fire was controlled.
Firefighters described a stubborn fire fueled by heavy timbers and old stock inside the vacant industrial spaces. Crews reported at least one wall collapse shortly after 5 a.m., forcing units to reposition aerial ladders and deck guns. Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said the connected layout and age of the warehouses allowed the blaze to travel rapidly through void spaces. Several people believed to be unhoused were rescued from the complex before conditions worsened, the department said. Police shut down nearby streets while utility crews monitored power lines and gas service. Paramedics staged on site, but officials reported no serious injuries by late morning. Investigators are working to determine where the fire began and whether any equipment or recent activity may have contributed.
The complex sits near the Mississippi riverfront, a corridor that includes older manufacturing buildings that have seen periodic fires in recent years. Some structures are vacant or in partial redevelopment, complicating accountability for upkeep and access. Friday’s fire sent smoke over downtown and the Poplar Street Bridge area during the morning commute, with traffic delayed around 4th Street at Gratiot and Lombard and along Broadway at Chouteau. Businesses east of the central core reported alarms tripped by smoke, and several office buildings kept workers inside as a precaution while debris fell in gusts. Officials emphasized that hazardous materials were not confirmed at the scene, though crews used detectors while monitoring runoff.
As the day progressed, command staff rotated companies to manage fatigue and keep aerial water streams on remaining hot spots. The department requested extra alarms to bring in ladder trucks for exposure protection and to relieve engine crews that had been flowing lines since before dawn. City building officials stood by to make a post-fire determination on emergency demolition for any walls left unstable. If an emergency teardown is ordered, contractors would likely begin removing sections once temperatures drop and steam clears, officials said. Insurance representatives for owners of record were being notified, and fire investigators planned interviews with witnesses who reported seeing flames shortly after 2:30 a.m.
Residents living in nearby lofts described waking to sirens and a glow over the riverfront. “We opened the blinds and could see embers drifting like snow,” said Kendra Lewis, who lives several blocks west. A construction supervisor working a day shift nearby said his crew delayed deliveries until streets reopened. By midmorning, drones from a regional task force surveyed roof damage to guide ladder placement. The Red Cross arranged short-term assistance for people evacuated from the immediate blocks while public works crews moved salt trucks away from hose lines stretched across intersections.
By late morning Friday, firefighters remained in defensive operations while investigators worked to pinpoint the origin area. The department said the next update would come after collapse-prone sections cool enough for a closer look. Streets around 2nd and Gratiot are expected to stay restricted into the evening while overhaul continues.
Author note: Last updated November 28, 2025.