Information from WYSH Radio
An auto parts business on Clinton Highway was destroyed by a fire Wednesday afternoon that was preceded by several explosions.
European Import Auto Parts sat on the Anderson-Knox County line until Wednesday’s fire, which was reported shortly after 5 p.m.
An employee noticed a fire in the rear of the building, where vehicles are taken apart, and tried to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher. The explosions likely were caused by the gasoline and other flammable automotive fluids at the business, and witnesses reported flames shooting as high as 60 feet in the air.
Crews from the Claxton Volunteer Fire Department and several other agencies responded to the scene of the fire, which was extinguished within about an hour of their arrival. One Claxton firefighter succumbed to heat exhaustion and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. He was released from the hospital last night. Several other firefighters also struggled in the sweltering late-day heat.
An accidental spark is believed to have ignited the fire, but the exact cause is under investigation.
Information in this story brought to you through an agreement between Oak Ridge Today and WYSH. See more local news headlines on the WYSH website at http://www.wyshradio.com/local_news.html.
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