Warehouse fire cause of weekend explosions in Tuscumbia

One month to the day after a tornado hit downtown Tuscumbia, residents in the city and across The Shoals were preparing for another round of storms set to pass through the state.

The fireworks ended up going off before the weather even crossed the Alabama border. Or, at least, what sounded like fireworks.

According to city officials, a convenience store distribution center in the 300 block of Gann Boulevard caught fire during the early morning hours of March 15.

Tuscumbia Fire Chief J.T. Fox said his department was paged out at 6:41 a.m. to a structure fire with “multiple explosions.”

“We arrived on scene, and there were still multiple explosions going on,” Fox said. “We stayed back and let the fire die down. Once the explosions stopped, we were able to extinguish it pretty quickly.”

Fox said the contents of the warehouse were anything you could find in a convenience store, including butane lighters and vapes with lithium-ion batteries.

Fox said the explosions were caused by containers of gas used in whipped cream dispensers, which Mayor William Foster told media members was nitrous oxide.

Foster, who went to the scene, said people in the area were practically dodging projectiles.

“It sounded like artillery shells,” he said. “Most everybody was hiding behind vehicles, and it was very scary.”

Fox said there were over 100 emergency calls due to explosions caused by the conflagration, with residents in the surrounding area reporting windows rattling.

He said the cause of the incident is under investigation with the fire marshal’s office.

“Once they reach their cause, we’ll know exactly what had happened,” Fox said.

During the March 17 meeting of the Tuscumbia Council, Foster commended the city’s first responders, saying after the fire they got to go home and take a nap before getting ready for multiple tornado warnings during the day.

“I was there for that fire, but our (first responders) are there for everything like that,” he said. “I want to thank y’all for everything you do. It was nerve wracking for me, so I know it was for y’all.”