04/11/2026
On April 10, 2026, at approximately 9:10 p.m., Command 600, Engine 601, Ladder 604, and Sprint 605 were requested to respond as mutual aid to a commercial building fire at Searcy Hospital.
Because the grounds had been vacated, there were no operational hydrants available on site. Mobile County, Washington County, and Baldwin County resources were requested to assist with tanker support.
Upon arrival, units found a large three-story building, known as the tower arsenal, heavily involved with a roof collapse already in progress. Due to the size and intensity of the fire, embers spread and ignited two additional buildings on the property.
Operations on the main three-story building remained defensive throughout the incident. Creola’s tower ladder and Citronelle’s ladder truck were utilized to attack the fire and bring the blaze under control.
At the two additional buildings, fire had extended from the roof into the attic spaces. Firefighters used a 35-foot extension ladder to knock down the fire and then made entry to confirm extinguishment. At the third building, firefighters accessed a second-floor balcony, forced entry, and extinguished the remaining fire.
This was a large-scale incident involving approximately 20 fire departments, 40 fire apparatus, 80 firefighters, and three separate building fires. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately six hours to ensure all fires were fully extinguished.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.