Thursday, February 12, 2015

JIM’S SERVICE CENTER ON CARBON CITY ROAD IN MORGANTON BURNED TO THE GROUND WEDNESDAY, AFTER FUEL FROM A CAR TANK BEING REPAIRED SPILLED AND WAS IGNITED BY A WOODEN STOVE






February 12, 2015




MORGANTON, NORTH CAROLINA:




Officials have determined the cause of a large structure fire that destroyed a longstanding repair shop on Carbon City Road on Wednesday afternoon.




Mechanics at Jim’s Service Center, located at 213 Carbon City Road, were removing a gas tank from a vehicle for repair work, according to a release from the Morganton Department of Public Safety. The tank fell off a jack that was used to lower it, spilling gasoline. Vapors from the fuel traveled to a wood stove in the rear of the repair bay, igniting a flash fire.




The fire quickly spread beyond what employees could put out with fire extinguishers, according to the release. When MDPS arrived on scene, the building was fully involved and everyone had evacuated.




Due to reported explosions and a heavy volume of fire, firefighters set up defensive positions to protect nearby businesses and control the blaze. Responders were on scene from 2:18 p.m. to 6:24 p.m., working with aerial water streams, handlines, and a backhoe.




Nearby residents Johnny Walker and Liz Elsner confirmed that there were explosions as the fire progressed.




“It was really rolling a while ago,” Walker said. “There was stuff exploding. There are air tanks in there, pressurized cans, batteries.”




Of particular concern for firefighters were petroleum products stored in the building. Scanner traffic Wednesday indicated the fire spread to a building full of such items after starting in the repair bay.




Two vehicles were destroyed in the blaze, according to Maj. Mark Bradshaw with MDPS. No charges will be pressed, due to the accidental nature of the fire.




For Morganton resident Cecilia Padgett, the fire was an unexpected blow. She lost her vehicle to the flames, after taking it in for repair work that morning.



“It was just a shock to everybody,” she said. “I don’t know if they’ve ever had to deal with something like that.”




Padgett’s mother, Connie Padgett, said the loss of the service center was also the loss of a community pillar.




“It’s good people who run this shop,” she said. “They’ve done some work on my car, too.”




The building was a total loss, officials confirmed.