FASSCO Auto Repair suffered a fire that caused significant damage at its 105 Mine Run St. location Oct. 18.
Firefighters were called out at approximately 3:11 pm and off-duty firefighters joined all the stations in Gallup at the shop.
Smoke was thick and the nearby Burger King shut down for a time.
Fire Deputy Chief Nathan Emerson said there was an explosion at the repair shop and it took more than three hours to extinguish all the hotspots. He estimated the firefighters didn’t leave the scene until sometime between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm.
Two vehicles that were in bays inside the shop were pushed out of the building. One had smoke and water damage and the other had smoke, water, and heat damage to the front bumper and headlights. Acting Fire Marshal Jon Pairett said some of the roof structure came down on the cars. He was unable to determine if they could be salvaged.
Fire prevention workers visited the scene again Oct. 19.
They estimated that the damage to tools and equipment may run as high as $300,000.
Pairett said the building is listed as a total loss. He said there may still be items inside that can be saved.
But the building will be closed and it may have to be demolished. Pairett said the roof is caved in.
No injuries were reported. The fire is categorized as accidental.
Staff Reports
