Fire Heavily Damages Large Warehouse in Mississippi

Mississippi authorities are investigating a warehouse fire in Tupelo that took firefighters nearly three hours to control.

The Aug. 11 blaze at the Dutch Oil/Victory Marketing building sent thick plumes of smoke over east Tupelo. A spokeswoman at the company’s main office in Columbus said the Tupelo facility employs seven people and housed the storage area for Victory’s lubricant business.

Jimmy Avery, Tupelo’s assistant fire chief, says there was extensive damage to the warehouse and the structure probably will have to be razed.

Witnesses told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that the fire seemed to start slowly. At least one bystander said she was told an employee of the business was filling an oil tank when something ignited and started the flame.

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Information from: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, http://www.djournal.com