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Temple Theater in Tacoma on fire? Videos show massive blaze on St. Helens Avenue
Videos show heavy smoke billowing from the scene.
Update: Authorities have confirmed that a fire broke out at the historic Temple Theater on St. Helens Avenue in downtown Tacoma on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tacoma Fire Department (TFD) said the fire is now under control.
“The fire is under control. Please continue to avoid the area while we continue to search for hot spots,” TFD wrote on X.
There are no reports of injuries.
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Initial report: A massive fire has broken out in a building on St. Helens Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Videos show heavy smoke billowing from the scene. Some social media reports claim the blaze may have started at the historic Temple Theater, but this has not been confirmed.
What we know so far
The fire was reported at around 4:19 p.m. on Tuesday. Crews arriving on scene found flames on the roof of the structure.
According to KOMO News, the fire appeared to be concentrated on a rooftop deck area. The incident was later upgraded to a two-alarm response as additional crews were called in.
Officials said the fire appears to have been contained to the rooftop deck. No injuries have been reported, and the extent of damage has not yet been confirmed.
Authorities urged the public to avoid the area while emergency operations continue.
In a post on X, Tacoma Fire said, "00 blk St Helens Ave, 4:19pm - TFD is on scene of a building fire downtown. Appears to be on the roof of the building. Please avoid the area while crews are actively responding. More to follow."
Tacoma Fire spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told KIRO Newsradio the blaze was highly visible across the city.
“This fire is very visible from the freeway, from most of Tacoma, because it is downtown, and it is near the water,” Shepherd said. “It’s a very visible plume of smoke right now, so just know that we are on it."
