Video courtesy Dawn Marlett

By James Bell
Hays Post

 

Around 3 p.m. Sunday, emergency responders were on scene at Mid Kansas Auto Auction, 700 W. 48th, as a large fire was burning throughout the building.

Smoke from the fire could be seen throughout Hays as responders worked to extinguish the fire.

Traffic was being blocked on 48th St. from Roth to 240th while crews were on scene.

According to an eyewitness, the fire was started by a vehicle that caught fire inside the building.

“We were driving out to Home Depot and saw some flames coming out of the garage,” said Travis Keller. “It looked like a pickup or car was on fire.”

After pulling around the building and sounding his vehicle horn to alert anyone inside he made a call to 911 at around 2:20 p.m.

He said he did not see anyone in the building at the time and before responders arrived the fire was progressing quickly through the building.

The Hays Fire Department was called at 2:47 p.m. to assist the Ellis County Fire Department, establishing a water line from a hydrant over 2,000 ft away, according to a media release.

“This water supply was limited because of the distance from the fire scene,” the release said. “Under the direction of the Ellis County Fire Department Incident Commander, Hays firefighters assisted in fighting the fire and cooling the near-by LPG fuel tank using hose streams and an aerial ladder stream.”

Two fire trucks, an air supply truck and six firefighters from the HFD assisted.

Crews from the HFD left the scene at 9:01 p.m.

Hays Post will update the story as more information becomes available.

Video by Harrison Brent