In 19-degree weather, with a wind chill of 4 degrees and in a driving snowstorm, firefighters battled a blaze at Auto Smart Tuesday night.
The Leitchfield Fire and Police Departments, Grayson Co. Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and Grayson Co. Emergency Management responded to the fire at approximately 9:50 p.m. Tuesday after an occupant of an apartment on the backside of the Auto Smart building, at 602 South Main Street, reported smoke pouring from the structure.
Upon firefighters arriving, they found heavy smoke coming primarily from the back of the building. Fire personnel entered the structure and determined the fire was coming from a room on the bottom floor (essentially a basement), adjacent to a garage area, according to Leitchfield Asst. Fire Chief Roy Hack.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about an hour and conducted an overhaul of the building as they searched extensively for hot spots for approximately one hour.
A vehicle in the garage had heat damage (a second vehicle in the garage appeared undamaged), and the apartment in the upstairs back of the building suffered smoke damage, Hack said.
The basement area, where the fire originated, had extensive fire damage while the remainder of the structure had smoke, heat and water damage.
While Hack told K105 the fire began in the basement area, it’s unclear what sparked the blaze.
None of the vehicles for sale by the business appeared to suffer damage, as Leitchfield PD Officers Wally Ritter and Chuck Hoover, along with Grayson Co. Deputies Caleb Owens and Joel Baker, moved and assisted employees in moving several vehicles away from the front of the building.
In a much-appreciated move (this reporter received messages of appreciation from multiple firefighters), FiveStar Food Mart employees donated coffee and hot chocolate to firefighters.
There were no injuries reported, and firefighters cleared the scene at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
