The three-alarm blaze was the second suspicious fire this year at the Atlas Pallet Co. at Essex and South Cherry streets that investigators suspect was the work of an arsonist. No one was injured in the fires.

"The absence of any accidental sources of ignition suggests it was intentionally set," said Lt. Steve Torres of the San Antonio Fire Department. "We're following up on leads, but we would like some help from the community."

The ignition source has not been determined.

The business was closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. An employee driving past the business about 3 p.m. saw smoke and alerted owner Edgar Lozano and the Fire Department.

As more than 100 firefighters using multiple ladder trucks attacked the blaze, a plume of thick black smoke filled the sky near the Alamodome.

"I just want all our customers to know that we are still open for business," Lozano said. "We're going to have to rebuild, but we will continue serving our customers."

About 90 percent of the business' inventory, which includes wooden pallets, chemicals and plastics, was lost in the blaze.

A smaller fire at the business March 19 was ruled arson. No suspects have been arrested in either fire. Investigators are not sure whether the fires are related.

"That's obviously something we're looking into," Torres said. "If anyone saw anything in either fire, please call us."

The Fire Department Arson Division can be reached at (210) 207-7693. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.

Monday's fire consumed more than 2 acres of pallets on the business' property just south of the Alamodome.

Atlas Pallet was included on a list of companies that city officials had sought to bring up to code in the wake of a January recycling plant fire that prompted City Manager Sheryl Sculley to release a list of San Antonio's worst code compliance violators.

David Garza, director of the city's Housing and Neighborhood Services Department, which oversees the code compliance office, said Atlas Pallet has resolved a citation it was issued in the spring stemming from potentially hazardous conditions at the plant. But, he said, the company still has a rezoning issue that needs to be resolved with the city's Development Services Department before it can be considered completely up to code.

"They need to rezone the property to continue operating that business," Garza said. "Once they take care of that, they will be in complete compliance."