2-alarm fire leaves behind major damage at Paris on Ponce

ATLANTA - Atlanta firefighters were not taking any chances Wednesday evening after a fire broke through the roof of Paris On Ponce, striking a second alarm within moments of arriving at the scene.

It happened around 9:20 p.m. near the corner of Ponce De Leon Avenue and Ponce De Leon Place NE. Firefighters said they were initially given the wrong address, but were able to quickly locate the fire from down the road by spotting the flames which rose through the roof.

Multiple videos sent to FOX 5 News show the flames ripping through the middle of the roof of the massive structure.

Firefighters said they struck a second alarm, calling more manpower and apparatus to the scene because of the size of the structure.

Paris on Ponce is a warehouse converted into business spaces which include a furniture store, a flea market, space for artists, a coffee shop, and an events center. The mostly wooden structure has seen at least a century pass it by. Firefighters said the extra firefighters were able to help check for anyone inside the large structure quicker.

Thankfully, no one was inside at the time of the fire, but firefighters said they did find several cats and dogs in and around the building. Officials said they were able to rescue all from the building and they were safe.

Firefighters said the extra manpower also helped to locate the core of the fire faster. Fire officials said they made an aggressive interior attack on the blaze, knocking the majority of the flames down within an hour.

From the outside, it appears the famous murals and paintings on the structure’s exterior went mostly untouched by the blaze, but the same cannot be said for the roof and the interior. Firefighters said there was a lot of water and smoke damage left behind following the fire. Fire officials also said they were working to make sure all the sprinklers inside were secured.

Firefighters said the full extent of the damage will likely not be known until morning when the owner can tour the structure.

No firefighters were injured battling the blaze.

Ponce De Leon Avenue was shut down for several hours while the firefighters worked the blaze. They hit hot spots inside the structure well into the evening.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.