Stead pallet fire contained

Reno Fire crews will continue to monitor the site of a Stead warehouse where countless wooden pallets burned in a spectacular fire.

The fire broke out Thursday, August 8th just after 7 p.m., burning more than half an acre before it was contained.

By Friday late morning, all the fire crews had been released from the scene and the roads in the area had been reopened.

The fire heavily damaged one warehouse, caused heat damage to another, burned dozens of pallets, spread to nearby brush, and threatened several commercial buildings on Bravo Avenue.

When crews arrived, they say, half of the pallet storage area was already on fire.

The Reno Fire Department says a few firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The fire ignited two large propane tanks, causing explosions that spread the fire quickly, sending huge plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles in the North Valleys area. High winds spread the fire, which shifted many times, and made it a difficult fire to fight crews say.

Agencies from as far away as Carson City and North Lake Tahoe assisted in fighting the fire. Battalion Chief Jeff Voskamp with Reno Fire said the response to the three alarm fire was comparable to the response we saw at the Argenta Hall explosion last month.

NV Energy at one point shut down power to about 6,500 customers in the area at the request of the Reno Fire Department. Power has since been restored for most customers.

Fire crews say pallets burn very hot and the heat even made it to the Stead airport.