One of the best-known historic warehouse complexes in St. Louis, and the one with the most anticipated glow-up, has burned down.
In the early hours of Friday, November 28th, a fire broke out in one of the Crunden-Martin warehouses in the vicinity of 2nd St. and Gratiot. Before long, several buildings were burning, prompting the St. Louis Fire Department to declare a five-alarm fire, with over 200 firefighters helping to control the blaze. According to St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, four buildings were fully involved when firefighters arrived.
Firefighters have since contained the fire, though they expect flare-ups as embers continue to smolder. Jenkerson indicated that it is too soon to determine the cause of the fire.
Despite the devastating loss, there are a few pieces of good news. Firefighters safely evacuated several unhoused people from inside and around the warehouse, and no firefighter injuries have been reported. The adjacent 19th-century St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church also remains undamaged (as of this publication)…