WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — Firefighters spent most Wednesday afternoon working to extinguish a fire at an auto business in Winter Garden.
The blaze broke out about 2 p.m. at Budget Auto Parts of Orlando along Ninth Street near the intersection of Colonial Drive.
Video from Skywitness 9 HD showed flames coming from the building. Thick, black smoke could also be seen pouring into the air.
By 3 p.m., firefighters had the blaze under control.
The fire chief said an employee was using a circular saw and accidentally started the fire as he was cutting part of a vehicle. Sparks from the saw ignited some reclaimed fuel, setting the business ablaze.
Witness Emanuel Rangeo had just pulled onto the 5-acre junk yard to get a used part for his car when he spotted the flames.
“Everybody was running like crazy,” Rangeo said. “So, as soon as I saw everybody, I ran because I saw the flames was coming from that warehouse. I got a little nervous.”
Witnesses reported seeing plumes of smoke from as far away as the Florida Turnpike and Colonial Drive.
“I heard was a big, loud explosion,” said Rangeo. “Once I heard that, the whole building was catching on fire, panicking.”
Officials said they can't recall any major problems or code enforcement issues at the business recently.
Fire officials said 50 percent of the building was destroyed. They said tires, paint and other flammable chemicals in the warehouse helped fuel the fire.
“There were multiple explosions during the event,” said Winter Garden Fire Chief John Williamson.
The state fire marshal is investigating. The Environmental Protection Agency is looking into whether water from firefighter hoses caused chemicals to run off the property.
WFTV
