WICHITA, Kansas -- Dozens of Wichita firefighters were called out for a building fire in northeast Wichita Tuesday morning.
It was reported just before 8 a.m. at the Viking Corporation, 3810 N. Toben, near 37th N. and Webb Road.
Heavy smoke could be seen pouring from the building as the 18 workers evacuated the scene.
Fire officials say the blaze started in a paint room. Employees attempted to extinguish it themselves, but it quickly spread.
Backup crews had to be called to the scene to help.
"When the crews got here, they had pretty significant fire inside the structure," said Captain Stuart Bevis, Wichita Fire Department. "Initially, they made an interior attack, were making some progress, but the fire had a pretty big head start and it was starting to vent through the roof, so we had to pull our crews out of the structure due to safety issues."
Firefighters took to ladders to pour water on the fire, eventually getting it under control.
Fire crews remained on the scene to monitor the situation.
No one was injured and the fire is under investigation.
Viking manufactures equipment for cleaning metal fabrication.
