A fire at a four-story apartment building displaced at least 100 people, near Saint Louis University, Tuesday night.
Deputy Assistant Fire Chief Brian Walsh said Wednesday fire officials searched through 170 of the 197 units of the complex located at 3949 Lindell and found no victims and had no reports of anyone still missing.
Firefighters sprayed water on the building Wednesday morning to make sure there were not any hot spots and to prevent it from rekindling.
Preliminary estimates suggest 120 to 130 of the units are heavily damaged by fire, smoke and water. Another 20 units are destroyed after a portion of the multi-story building collapsed.
The fire started in a penthouse unit on the fourth floor of the apartments, located near Lindell and Vandeventer, shortly after 7 p.m. and went to five alarms by 7:50 p.m.
100 people were evacuated from the 197 unit building. The number of people who actually occupy the building is unknown, but firefighters believe everyone got out safely.
The fire spread to the roof area, and because of the high heat conditions, ran the roof line east, cut the corner and went north.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said 160 firefighters were on the scene fighting the fire and made two very difficult trench cuts to pour water inside. The fire is under control but spot fires are still burning.
Five municipal fire agencies from St. Louis County were assisting the St. Louis Fire Department on the scene of the blaze.
Another 10 departments from throughout the metropolitan area assisted by providing manpower at fire stations that were vacated by the five alarm fire call.
The fire started in a fourth floor penthouse, but a cause has not been determined.
The Coronado Ballroom is taking in some of the displaced residents at 3701 Lindell and The American Red Cross Disaster Reaction Team is assisting additional displaced residents.
In June 2007 this same building caught fire while it was under construction. Federal investigators joined St. Louis firefighters with the investigation, and ruled the blaze an arson. No arrests were made in the 2007 case.
Information from KSDK.com contributed to this report.