A south-central El Paso fire, caused by faulty wiring destroyed a lumber warehouse downtown.

The fire broke out in the 1800 block of Myrtle Avenue around 11:15 a.m. The smoke could be seen for miles across El Paso.

El Paso Fire Department's spokesman George De La Torre said the building was a total loss.

"There was faulty wiring inside," said De La Torre. More than 50 firefighters responded.

Initially crews began fighting the flames from inside but that attack was deemed dangerous and fought the fire from the exterior. 

Investigators were told by the building's owner, Gail Boyles, and property manager Ernie Ramirez, that one was inside the building. Boyles did not want to speak with KFOX14 on camera and she referred all questions to Ramirez. 

Two people who did not want to be identified for their protection tell KFOX14 that there were individuals residing inside the warehouse.

"It was like a house. Half of it, you know, they had their furniture, you know, their kitchen, their bathroom, like a regular house. It was just in a warehouse," said one woman.

Another young man claims she was inside when the fire started.

"I was asleep at the moment when everything was happening. My mom was just yelling out for me. When I looked out the window, all I could see was the black smoke and the flames. I had to get out of room quickly, just so I could go help my mom and try to turn off fire," said the man who wished not to be identified.

According to these two undisclosed sources, the individuals had been living in the warehouse for about one year. The mother the young man is referring to, according to the woman KFOX14 talked to, suffered very minor burns.

"She's got burn marks on her shoulders, a little bit on her back and some of her hair; it's minor stuff. As long as I know they're all safe but now they lost their home," said the woman.

No injuries were reported to paramedics, according to De La Torre.

Fire officials haven't confirmed that there were people living in the warehouse.

KFOX14 looked up other properties owned by Boyles and any fire code violations were addressed and fixed, according to De La Torre.