Crews Fight Fire At Building Near San Jose SAP Center

SANTA CLARA VALLEY, CA — San Jose firefighters and a hazmat team remained on the scene Tuesday afternoon of a three-alarm fire in downtown San Jose. The blaze at a vacant commercial building near N. Montgomery Street and W. St. John Street was reported at 12:02 p.m.

SJFD Capt. Daniel Vega said at 2 p.m. that personnel with San Jose Fire Department were "getting a handle on" the fire, noting the blaze is also being monitored as a potential hazardous chemicals situation.

The building is a warehouse located adjacent to the SAP Center, the home of the San Jose Sharks professional hockey team; employees at the center reported the fire, Vega said.

Fire crews responded within three minutes and found the building already engulfed in flames so decided to fight the fire defensively, the captain said. Crews haven't yet been able to enter the building to confirm no one was inside when the blaze broke out, he said.

"We're hopeful that no one is hurt, but at this time we still do not know," Vega said.

Investigators are also trying to determine who owns the building, since it was supposedly vacant but had electricity going into it, he said.

"The question is: who is paying for it?" Vega said.

Crews will remain at the scene until they determine the nature of the possible hazardous materials and fully extinguish the fire, Vega said.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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