A fierce fire broke out at an auto business in north Lincoln on Monday afternoon. The blaze was reported near 23rd Street and Cornhusker Highway around 2:30 p.m. According to MJ Lierman, a spokesperson for Lincoln Fire & Rescue, the fire started after someone heard a “pop sound.” Battalion Chief Mark Majors explained that a car caught fire, causing the flames to quickly spread to the building, though the cause of the vehicle fire is still unknown.
The strong winds made it difficult for firefighters to enter the building and forced them to adopt a defensive approach. They turned to aerial tactics to spray water from above, which is not commonly used in such situations. One of their main concerns was preventing the fire from spreading to the neighboring building, which they were able to save from the flames. However, Lincoln Cars sustained significant damage as a result of the blaze, with the roof and west wall collapsing, and there is a risk of more of the building coming down.
The total damage is estimated at $650,000, but fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Majors emphasized how dangerous this situation was and urged caution when dealing with nearby properties and emergency responders. Despite this setback, quick response times and coordinated efforts from emergency crews helped prevent further harm from occurring.
Firefighters had been working tirelessly for hours trying to contain an intense blaze at an auto business in north Lincoln on Monday afternoon. The flames were first reported near 23rd Street and Cornhusker Highway around 2:30 p.m., according to MJ Lierman of Lincoln Fire & Rescue.
Battalion Chief Mark Majors explained that a car caught fire inside one of the buildings at Lincoln Cars caused by an unknown cause before spreading rapidly throughout