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Huge fire engulfs apartment building under construction

Firefighters battle a five-alarm fire burning an apartment building and surrounding structures in downtown Raleigh, N.C., Thursday night, March 16, 2017. Fire was consuming an apartment building under construction. The cause of the fire is under investigation. (Chris Seward/The News & Observer via AP)
Firefighters battle a five-alarm fire burning an apartment building and surrounding structures in downtown Raleigh, N.C., Thursday night, March 16, 2017. Fire was consuming an apartment building under construction. The cause of the fire is under investigation. (Chris Seward/The News & Observer via AP) Firefighters battle a five-alarm fire burning an apartment building and surrounding structures in downtown Raleigh, N.C., Thursday night, March 16, 2017. Fire was consuming an apartment building under construction. The cause of the fire is under investigation. (Chris Seward/The News & Observer via AP)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Firefighters are battling a massive fire that has engulfed an apartment building under construction in North Carolina’s capital city.

Raleigh police spokeswoman Laura Hourigan says preliminary information indicates there were no injuries. She says the fire began shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday in the building in downtown Raleigh, a city in the eastern part of the state.

A witness, Pedro Tapiak, told the News and Observer of Raleigh (http://bit.ly/2m83hBj) that spreading flames caused a construction crane to collapse.

Firefighters on extended ladders dumped water on the flames as wind gusts spread smoke for blocks around. Local media reports say there were no signs of anyone trapped in the building.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.