UPDATE: Tires likely fueled North Side blaze

YOUNGSTOWN — A large industrial building on the city’s North Side is likely a complete loss following a fire that kept crews busy for most of the afternoon.

Fire crews were called to the burning building at 837 Madison Ave. at about noon. There were two men inside the building, but both men managed to escape before firefighters arrived.

By 2 p.m. large billows of black smoke could be seen for miles coming from the burning structure. Fire crews attacked the blaze from two different directions with aerial trucks and a constant flow of water.

The building had at one time been a dry cleaning business, but had been vacant for some time. It was currently being used to cut and store tires. There were a large amount of tires inside the building at the time of the fire.

Fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr. said an employee inside the building was welding metal when a spark hit a wooden plank in the buildings ceiling starting the fire. Most of the roof collapsed while firefighters were battling the fire.

No one was injured in the fire.

Simulateneously, firefighters were called to a house fire on Hilton Avenue. That fire was apparently caused by a stove.

Watch Vindy.com for updates and see Tuesday's Vindicator for details.