Fire Severely Damages Downtown Nashville Library Parking Garage

A major fire broke out early Tuesday morning in the parking garage of Nashville's main public library, severely damaging the top floors and forcing the closure of both the garage and the library. The fire, which began around 1:30 a.m. on the fourth and fifth floors, caused explosions from car tires and engines, leading firefighters to abandon parts of the interior search due to structural instability. The Renaissance Hotel, connected to the garage via a skybridge, was temporarily evacuated but has since reopened, while the garage remains closed indefinitely with an unknown timeline for reopening. Despite the intensity of the blaze and the presence of trapped vehicles inside, no injuries were reported. Investigators are currently assessing the cause of the fire and structural safety before allowing entry to the garage. The incident also disrupted downtown operations, as important street cleaning equipment stored in the garage became inaccessible.