Hopkinsville building unsafe after Wednesday night fire

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) – Hopkinsville firefighters say an over 100-year-old building could fall down at any minute after a fire Wednesday night.

Firefighters say they went to the Peter Postell Building on East Sixth Street at about 9:00 p.m. after receiving a call that smoke was coming from an upstairs window.  When they arrived, responders say smoke and fire were rolling out of the building.

The Fire Chief says that firefighters had breached the door, but decided not to enter the building, only to have the roof collapse only moments later.

Fire at the Peter Postell Building in Hopkinsville (Photo Courtesy: Hopkinsville Fire Department)

Concerns that high winds might cause the fire to spread to other buildings caused firefighting efforts to be more concentrated on containing the blaze, say firefighters.

According to the Chief, the building was vacant, and no one was inside.  The fire department says they are not characterizing the fire as “suspicious.”

Kentucky State Police are being called out to conduct an investigation.