Photo: Corvallis Fire Department
Photo: City of Corvallis CORVALLIS, OR (KPTV) - Fire at Corvallis auto salvage business causes $1 million in damage Posted: Jul 06, 2016 4:18 PM EST Updated: Jul 06, 2016 4:18 PM EST
By FOX 12 Staff
A fire that started from an employee draining a gasoline tank at an auto salvage business in Corvallis caused $1 million in damage, according to firefighters.
The fire started Tuesday morning at B&R Auto Wrecking on the 3000 block of Southeast 3rd Street off Highway 99W.
The fire gutted the main structure of the business and sent plumes of smoke into the sky on the south side of the city. The highway was shut down for more than six hours, re-opening shortly before 5 p.m.
Investigators said the fire started when an employee was draining a gasoline tank and the fuel ignited, quickly spreading to the main building.
The damage is estimated to be around $1 million, according to the Corvallis Fire Department. Fire crews from Corvallis and Philomath used approximately 1 million gallons of water on the fire in the first 12 hours.
City workers installed portable booms to protect creeks and streams from potential runoff from the site. The booms will remain in place for several days with rain expected for the region over the weekend.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality assisted with the cleanup efforts.
Fire crews remained on scene Wednesday to deal with potential hot spots. Highway 99W was open, but drivers were urged to use caution, as firefighters were still possible active near the scene.
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