A commercial warehouse in Billings, Mont., caught fire around 10 p.m. on July 31, according to KTVQ.
The Billings fire department responded to the call and were first on the scene to assess the situation. They were able to take control of the situation within a half hour of arriving, but reportedly remained at the location throughout the night to ensure that no hot spots would become problematic.
According to Battalion Chief Terry Larson, the warehouse is a storage unit and operates as a welding facility. The building contains flammable gases that can be read on a methane gas detector. Given the nature of the facility, firefighters operated in a defensive position, which means they used a master stream on a ladder truck to douse the fire with water and did not enter the building.
Reports indicate that no one was in the building at the time of the fire and officials are unsure as to the extent of the damage. They have not yet released any information regarding the cause of the fire.
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