Fire breaks out in Downtown Yuma

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the area of Harold C. Giss Parkway and Main Street.

According to the Yuma Fire Department, the fire started shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon with two structures fully engulfed in flames.

“The Yuma Fire Department was dispatched to the 400 block of Main Street for a structure fire when they arrived on scene they found two structures you know actively burning fully involved upon their arrival,” said David Padilla from the Yuma Fire Department.

One structure fire was stopped fairly early while the other is still active with both structures suffering severe damage.

The Southern Pacific Freight Depot building manager was able to describe his frustrations.

“We’ve been looking over it or many years taking care of it and ensuring at people were not getting inside of it and damaging it so it’s one of those things where you know we can only do as much as we can,” said Jesus Melendrez, the manager for the Wetlands and Facilities Operations.

In the area, we can still smell the fire and see the smoke, along with the harshly burned building, as numerous firefighters are working tirelessly to extinguish the flames for good.

A small crowd of people were watching as the fire started to die down.

Jesus was able to share what the potential plans were for the building.

“We were in the process of trying to get it sold or get somebody to take it over to bring it back to its historic nature of what it was before and you know add it to the downtown area,” said Melendrez.

It is not yet known what caused the fire as it is still under investigation.

Below are images from our viewers of the fire.