Fire crews have been working overnight to extinguish a five-alarm fire that erupted at a San Jose Home Depot on Saturday.
Smoke could be seen for miles as the blaze quickly became an inferno, smothering the surrounding neighborhood and engulfing the department store in flames.
Sunday morning, the San Jose Fire Department reported that the fire is still smoldering and producing light smoke. Residents in the area are advised to continue to shelter in place with their windows and doors closed to avoid exposure.
At around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, a large plume of thick, black smoke was seen rising from the building on the 900 block of Blossom Hill Road in South San Jose.
The National Weather Service revealed the massive structure fire could even be seen from space, tweeting that the GOES West Meso Sector was picking up a heat signature just south of San Jose.
According to fire officials, 30 employees and dozens of Home Depot customers escaped safely, but the store was a total loss.
As of 10 p.m., portions of the Home Depot roof had collapsed, sending smoke and embers into the surrounding neighborhoods. Residents nearby reported hearing explosions from inside the store as people took to Twitter to document the massive fire.
Wagly Veterinary Hospital was evacuated and owners were reunited with their pets at Goldland on Winfield. All 60 of the animals were rescued.
The origin of the blaze is still unknown, as fire officials conduct an investigation. Despite the size of the fire, there were no reported injuries, deaths or further damages.
Residents and workers in the area were asked to shelter in place due to the potentially hazardous smoke.
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