Devastating Flying J Travel Center Fire

Devastating Flying J Travel Center Fire

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office was responding to a large fire at a truck stop north of Salina late Wednesday afternoon.

Salina Fire Marshal Roger Williams told KSAL News at the scene that crews were called at around 12:30 in the afternoon Wednesday to the report of a fire at the Huddle House restaurant, which is connected to the Flying J Travel Plaza on South Ohio Street near Interstate 70.

Williams says that a fire that started on the outside of the building made it up a wall, and into an attic shared by both businesses. It spread through the attic, and burned through the roof.

Employees had exited, and shut off the nearby gas pumps, as first responders arrived. The first crews on the scene made entry into the building, but had to pull out as the fire spread into the attic and roof.

It turned into a four-alarm fire for the Salina Fire Department, the most serious. Crews and equipment from every fire station responded, while off duty firefighters were called in to man the stations and keep the city protected.

Williams estimated that there were about 35 firefighters on the scene from the Salina Fire Department, along with firefighters and equipment from at least two rural fire districts, including RFD 7 and RFD 5.

An employee at the scene told KSAL News that at least two other employees workers suffered some smoke inhalation. Williams says no one was transported to the hospital.

The North Central Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to the scene to provide aid to the firefighters, including food and drink.

Williams says the fire started outside the building, in the area of a shed where flammable liquids were stored. It was too soon to determine an exact cause. He added that  the state fire marshal’s office was responding to help in the investigation.

Williams says that it appeared the entire facility was going to be a total loss.

Cigs the culprit in Salina Pilot Flying J fire

Fire department investigators say improper disposal of cigarettes caused a fire that heavily damaged a Flying J truck stop on Wednesday, April 15, at Interstate 70 and Ohio Street in Salina, Kan.

They say cigarettes were being thrown in a five-gallon plastic bucket, which had water in the bottom but also contained trash that ignited. That fire set a plywood shed on fire, and the flames spread to the main building. There were no injuries.

A spokesman for Pilot Flying J said Friday they plan to reopen the truck stop but don’t know when. - See more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=28898#.VTTzsmYpBoM

That's a shame. That Flying J was one of the nicer places to stop along I-70.