ST. LOUIS – A fire in the Central West End caused severe damage Friday morning.

The building houses three well-known restaurants — Mission Taco Joint, Salt and Smoke, and Ranoush. It was around 3 a.m. when crews responded to the fire.

FOX 2’S Nissan Rogue Runner was on the scene within minutes. The fire started at a mixed-use residential and commercial building on the corner of McPherson and Euclid. St. Louis Fire Department Chief Dennis Jenkerson said when they arrived there was heavy fire and smoke coming from the McPherson side.
Jenkerson also said that the fire may have started on the first floor of one of the commercial properties.

“This went three alarms,” Jenkerson said. “We needed additional manpower because of the heavy interior deck that was provided under the building. We went through 80 to 100 air bottles trying to knock this fire out. These are hard workers. Everybody did a good job. Everybody is kinda rehabbing right now and the fire is under control.”

The firemen were able to put the fire out, but wires damage made it more challenging. One elderly woman was rescued and one woman with transported to an area hospital. No serious injuries have been reported.

FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.