Dealership damaged by fire

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Chris Robinson, the manager of Budget Car Sales on Highway 82 West, stands back in the distance, gazing at the aftermath of the fire that erupted Wednesday night at the back of the business. Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette

August 23, 2012

Dealership damaged by fire

Fire Marshal looking into cause

By Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI The Tifton Gazette Thu Aug 23, 2012, 11:36 PM EDT

TIFTON — A fire erupted at Budget Car Sales on Highway 82 West Wednesday night, which resulted in 35 percent of the building being damaged.

Fire Chief Mike Coleman at the Tifton-Tift County Fire Department told The Gazette Thursday that they received a call at approximately 9:09 p.m. concerning the fire. He said when they arrived on scene, the rear northwest corner of the building was in flames.

Firefighters had to force their way in through the front door by breaking the glass. They also had to force their way in through the back door.

“We were able to stop it very quickly,” Coleman said. “It could have been a catastrophic event, but because of the quick response, we were able to knock it down. The guys did a wonderful job.”

Besides the back of the building being damaged, it sustained smoke damage throughout and some water damage, according to the incident report on file at the fire department.

Coleman said the fire was determined to have started in an outside trash can located against the building and then spreading to the building.

Also, a van that was close to the building received relatively minor damages, he stated.

Chris Robinson, the manager of Budget Car Sales, told The Gazette that an individual across the street from the business saw the fire. However, someone had already contacted 911.

He pointed to the roof of the building and stated, “It burned the back of the building and throughout the attic.”

He said the offices in the front of the building were not damaged by the fire.

“The fire department acted really quickly,” he stated.

Part of the building may have burned, but business has not stopped.

“Everything is going to continue as usual,” Robinson said.

He explained that they’re working from a back building and will be operating up front in a mobile unit by Monday. He stated that for now, customers can contact the business at an alternate phone number — 388-9530.

Robinson said a crew has already begun cleaning up the mess and fixing the damages. He expects everything will be ready within a month or earlier. He told The Gazette that he’s confident that officials will get the person or persons involved.

When asked if the fire was arson, Coleman said, “We’re as sure as we can be that it was arson.”

The Fire Marshall was called and is working leads on possible suspects, he stated. This investigation is ongoing.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

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Dealership damaged by fire

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