A string of structure fires kept the St Joseph Fire Department busy Tuesday through Wednesday morning.

Firefighters responded Wednesday to a flareup from the fire along the Missouri River Sunday. Crews quickly brought the fire under control.  (More here)

One firefighter was injured battling a blaze in a house in the 2300 block of Penn. A family of three managed to escape safely. The firefighter suffered from smoke inhalation and was transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment. Damage was extensive.

There were two structure fires within about seven hours near St Joseph Avenue and Grand Avenue.

Early Wednesday morning, a two-alarm blaze destroyed two businesses and damaged a third.   Officials believe the fire to be of suspicious origin.  The fire destroyed the Rumours Salon at 2002 St Joseph Avenue. The fire was first reported at 1:34 am.  By 10 am St Joseph Avenue remained closed and was expected to remain closed for several hours as the excavation and  investigation continue.  The St Joseph Fire Department deployed two aerial water cannon to contain the fire.

Tuesday evening, a fire gutted the historic First Ward House at 2101 St Joseph Avenue.  The nightclub, billed as “the oldest saloon west of the Mississippi,” was extensively damaged, but Battalion Fire Chief Paris Jenkins says the outside walls are still stable.  Owner Ryan Gerster says he hopes to repair and reopen the First Ward, if time and damage allow.

Mr Gerster had high praise for his staff.

“My employees handled the evacuation of the building, my kitchen manager had shut off the gas line on his way out,” Gerster said.  “I’m very thankful for the people that I had here working, because there were no casualties of any kind. Thank God there weren’t.”  (Find more detail here)

A “Go Fund Me” campaign is underway for the First Ward, and by Wednesday morning at least $1,000 had been raised.  (click here)

Will Corlett  of WillC Photography offered these photographs of the First Ward Fire.