The Meridian Fire Department worked to put out an early morning fire at a downtown building Wednesday, calling in the Public Works department to knock down the sagging building.

Kenny Watson, one of the city’s fire investigators, said that the call for service came around 4:30 a.m. to the building located between Fourth Street and Front Street. Firefighters were still at the scene around 10 a.m. 

“We’re worried about the wall buckling from heat and fire damage,” Watson said. “So we need to knock it all down and use heavy machinery to remove the debris.”

Watson pointed to an exterior wall that bent outward, saying that the department wouldn’t send firefighters into the building because of structural concerns. Firefighters stood far back from the building itself because they feared it could collapse. 

The department continued to spray water from above with ladder trucks but called Public Works to demolish parts of the building. 

Watson said that four engine companies responded, limiting the fire to one part of the structure, but was unsure if anyone was inside of the building at the time of the fire. 

“Whatever may have been there will take a few days to dig out,” Watson said. “The cause is undetermined but it’s definitely under investigation.”

According to the Tax Assessor’s office, the building is owned by John Bounds. A Facebook message sent to Bounds account wasn’t immediately answered Wednesday.