By Associated Press - Tuesday, December 27, 2016

UCON, Idaho (AP) - About 65 people are out of work after a fire destroyed a warehouse in the eastern Idaho city of Ucon.

Fire officials say the Snake River Plains Potato Warehouse is a total loss after the fire that started early Monday.

“We know the fire started in the mechanic shop on the south end and then spread to the rest of the building,” Deputy Verl Jarvie of State Fire Marshal’s Office told KIFI-TV (https://bit.ly/2i3Dy9U).



Jarvie said crews had a tough time getting to flames at the back of the building.

“Even to get into that room we’re going to have to sort of cut out the overhead garage door and pull a semi-trailer that’s in there to even get into that area,” Jarvie said.

Fire officials said they’re still trying to determine the cause of the fire. A damage estimate wasn’t available.

One of the warehouse owners told the television station an alternative working space is being sought.

Warehouse worker Jairo Serna was in charge of sales and shipping at the warehouse, where he worked for about three years.

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“It’s kind of overwhelming,” he said. “You go to bed and you think that you know you got a job the next day and suddenly someone tells you, ’Well, it’s all gone’. There’s not really anything there for you.’”

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Information from: KIFI-TV, https://www.localnews8.com/

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