ST. PETERS, Mo. (KMOX) – A fire destroys the Circle K gas station on Mexico Road in St. Peters Monday afternoon. The fire broke out around 2 in the 61000 block of Mexico Road

Assistant Fire Chief Steve Brown with St. Charles Central County Fire and Rescue says when firefighters got to the scene there was already heavy smoke and fire coming from the building.

He says employees were able to evacuate customers before the fire grew out of control. Propane tanks stored outside the gas station were removed before they could explode. Brown says firefighters cut the lock to get into the storage cage and get the tanks out and away from the building.

He says the fire consumed the entire building calling it a total loss. Firefighters were still on the scene putting out hot spots late Monday afternoon. “Once that is completed a basic investigation will be conducted.”

But Brown says employees told firefighters they believe the fire began in a back storage room.

No evacuations of nearby businesses was necessary although the intersection is a busy one. Emergency personnel shutdown Mexico Road for several hours while firefighters battled the blaze.

A KMOX caller says he heard an explosion but Brown says that was the sound of the front of the gas station building collapsing.