Update: Huge fire at north Modesto company causes $2 million in damage

A multiple-alarm fire at a north Modesto building materials company Saturday morning spread quickly and sent plumes of black smoke into the air that could be seen for miles.

Crews from six agencies responded – including firefighters from Alameda County who saw smoke while traveling on Highway 99 en route to a blaze in Sierra National Forest.

Firefighters were called at 9:25 a.m. to BMC, a building materials and construction services company, on Murphy Road on the outskirts of Salida. Dale Skiles, the Salida Fire Protection District chief, said the flames started in a compressor and soon engulfed a warehouse that was filled with wood and wooden doors.

Skiles said an employee at the facility heard a pop and saw the compressor catch fire, which quickly spread to the warehouse walls. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze before it jumped to an adjacent office and showroom building on the property. The company grounds were filled with stacks of lumber and other building materials.

Crews from Salida and five other agencies responded, bringing 16 engines in to fight the fire. Firefighters from Ripon, Modesto, Woodland Avenue, Burbank-Paradise and Alameda County all helped battle the blaze. The strike crew from Alameda County was traveling south on Highway 99 to the Rough fire in Sierra National Forest east of Fresno when it spotted the smoke and came to assist.

Skiles estimates damage to the site at $2 million. No injuries were reported and fire crews remained on site throughout the day to monitor the fire.

The fire slowed traffic along the freeway Saturday morning, as smoke and flames were visible from the road.

This story was originally published August 29, 2015 at 10:31 AM with the headline "Update: Huge fire at north Modesto company causes $2 million in damage."