INDIANAPOLIS — A beauty school on Indianapolis' south side sustained significant damage in a fire early Wednesday morning.
Fire crews were called to the Empire Beauty School in the 3800 block of East Southport Road, near Interstate 65, shortly before 2 a.m.
Multiple calls to 911 reported flames coming from the back of the building, and crews found heavy fire and smoke coming from a storage area on the side of the building when they arrived, the Indianapolis Fire Department said.
Firefighters faced issues extinguishing the fire due to the building's rubber membrane roof, low water pressure, air conditioning units and the full collapse of the storage area.
No one was inside the building when the fire broke out.
One IFD Rehab Support Unit member was transported to St. Francis South Hospital for a possible back sprain, IFD said. No firefighters were injured.
IFD estimated that 60% of the building was damaged during the fire, the cause of which is under investigation.