Tacoma auto repair shop catches fire; part of building could collapse
Aug 30, 2023, 3:15 PM | Updated: 4:31 pm

Fire at Tacoma auto repair shop on South Adams Street. (Photo courtesy of @rachaelselliott on X, formerly known as Twitter)
(Photo courtesy of @rachaelselliott on X, formerly known as Twitter)
Update 4:15 p.m. 8/30: The fire has been downgraded to a smolder, as the entire shopping complex was evacuated. The fire’s cause is still unknown, as of this reporting.
Original Story:
An auto repair business in Tacoma on South Adams Street near the Tacoma Mall is on fire and, according to the Tacoma Fire Department, the “intense” flames could force part of the building to collapse.
— Rachael Elliott (@rachaelselliott) August 30, 2023
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Fire crews are battling the flames from the outside of the building. People in that area of Tacoma are advised to close all windows and doors as the smoke is likely toxic.
“Crews are currently employing a defensive strategy to try to keep the fire contained,” Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Joe Meineke told KIRO Newsradio.
Meineke said it could take some time to put out the flames at the auto repair-related business.
“We’re not sending any of our folks into the interior and, right now, we are continuing to work on suppressing the fire,” Meineke continued.
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Everyone is believed to be out of the building as of this reporting, but no word yet on how the fire might have started.