By MERRILL BALASSONE
TURLOCK — Firefighters from seven Northern San Joaquin Valley fire departments battled a blaze late Wednesday that engulfed a downtown furniture store.


The fire was reported at 9:30 p.m. and an hour later flames were poking out of the roof and shooting from the windows of Minerva’s Furniture, a two-story building at 201 W. Main St. near Lander Avenue.

Several fire engines, including two ladder trucks, blocked West Main and Lander as firefighters aimed streams of water at the burning building. By 11:30 p.m. the flames had been knocked down, but smoke billowed from the roof. Water poured off the eaves of the building and gushed out the front door.

Despite being close to other buildings, Minerva’s was the only structure burning, Turlock Fire Chief Mark Langley said. Water dripped from Vega’s Furniture, next door to the burning building, but it was not on fire.

Police blocked off West Main and A streets, and Lander and Olive avenues.

Firefighters from Turlock, Turlock Rural, Modesto, Keyes, Denair, Ceres and Westport fire departments pitched in to battle the blaze, Langley said. In all, 14 engines were called to the fire.

There were no injuries.

“It’s critical that we have this mutual aid response set up,” Mayor Curt Andre said, who came to the scene. “We can’t cover these big fires on our own.”

As firefighters worked to control the fire, about 200 people watched.

“The main concern is to keep it from spreading to older buildings,” Andre said.

Bee staff writer Merrill Balassone can be reached at 578-2337 or mbalassone@modbee.com.