SALISBURY — A fire Friday burned most of a garage off Old Mocksville Road that was used as a repair shop. There were no serious injuries.
When firefighters first arrived at 425 Long Bow Road around 12:30 p.m. today, flames and thick black smoke were rising from the roof, and a nearby tree had caught fire. They extinguished the fire before it spread.
To protect themselves against fumes from the burning chemicals in the garage, firefighters wore gas masks until the flames subsided.
Ellis Fire Chief Jeff Whitley said about 75 percent of the garage was involved in the fire, but it’s possible that the metal structure can be salvaged.
The man currently renting the property, Jose Santo Berrios, was treated for smoke inhalation but was otherwise uninjured. The owner, Oscar Bonia, was not present at the time of the fire.
The cause is still under investigation. Because Berrios does not speak English, firefighters had a hard time determining what happened.
Whitley said he believes the fire started in a carport attached to the garage, where a parked vehicle was destroyed.
There were no other cars inside the structure. Several vehicles were parked out front, but none were damaged.
Whitley said this is the second time that Ellis Fire Department has responded to a fire at that property.