Fire destroys Home Depot store in northern California

SAN JOSE, Calif. — A weekend fire destroyed a Home Depot store in northern California, sending up massive columns of smoke and forcing area officials to warn residents to shelter in place, authorities said.

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The five-alarm fire at the store in San Jose was reported at about 6 p.m. PDT, KTVU-TV reported. Despite the size of the fire, no injuries were reported, according to the television station.

The hardware store appeared to be gutted by 10 p.m.

Fire officials said it will take time to determine the cause of the blaze. The fire apparently began in the lumber section of the store, according to The Associated Press.

”The Home Depot is pretty much a total loss, the roof is pretty much collapsed from the entire structure so it’s going to take some time to get in there if we even can -- if it’s going to be safe for our people to get in there,” San Jose Police Department battalion chief Brad Cloutier told KGO-TV.

Cloutier also told reporters that the fire continued to burn as it consumed flammable materials and chemicals, such as paint thinner, according to the AP.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from the Santa Clara area, KGO reported.

City Councilman Matt Mahan, who lives near the store, told The Mercury News that the air in his home smelled of chemicals and “burning plastic.”

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