June 27, 2018—Integrity Used Cars and WDR, an auto repair shop in Martinsburg, W.Va., was destroyed by fire due to a massive fuel tank leak Monday afternoon, according to The Journal.
At approximately 2:46 p.m. on Monday, local emergency service units responded to the scene where crews battled heavy smoke that was visible from parts of Interstate 81. Emergency personnel fought the fire from above the building with a ladder from responding fire trucks, dropping water onto affected areas.
“Someone was cutting the strap of a fuel tank of an automobile with a hand grinder and the fuel tank had a leak,” Roberts said. “The guy that was cutting the fuel tank didn’t realize there was a leak, and the grinder started throwing sparks. The sparks ignited the gasoline leaking out of the fuel tank and that is what started the fire. It took us several hours to put out.”
As of Tuesday morning, no injuries were reported, Roberts said.
Assistant state Fire Marshal George Harms is currently investigating the fire. He said that damage to the commercial building has resulted in an estimated $1 million in losses.
“The fire loss is between $700,000 and $1 million,” Harms said. “The building is a total loss. There were also multiple vehicles in the building and they are
totaled.”
The Martinsburg Fire Department, South Berkeley Fire Department, Hedgesville Volunteer Fire Department, Bedington Volunteer Fire Department, Back Creek Valley Fire Department, Baker Heights Volunteer Fire Department, Martinsburg VA Medical Center , Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority and 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard were among the emergency-service agencies that responded to the fire Monday.
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