MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio (WJW) – Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire at the Deacon’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership on SOM Center Road in Mayfield Village that destroyed a dozen Jeeps.
The fire in the dealership’s lot off of Wilson Mills Road was reported by nearby residents in a series of 911 calls around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
One caller told the dispatcher, “Sounds like things are blowing up on the Deacon’s lot, there’s a huge fire.” Mayfield Village firefighters quickly responded to the dealership and put out the blaze.
Investigators say eight Jeeps were totally consumed by the chain reaction blaze and explosions, two were heavily damaged and two others had relatively minor damage.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Libens told FOX 8, “A lot of vehicles these days are made of plastic and once that starts catching on fire and starts going, it just spreads like wildfire because of the hot plastic fire that was being given off with oils and everything like that.”
“It spread very quickly and luckily we were able to get there in time and tie it off before it took the whole row of cars out.”
Fire investigators say surveillance video from the dealership revealed that the fire started in the engine compartment of one of the Jeeps and quickly spread.
The Hillcrest Regional Fire Investigation Unit and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are now trying to pinpoint the exact cause.
“We were able to at least see where the fire began and start our investigation in that area,” said Assistant Chief Libens. “Thank God no one was hurt, said dealership owner Jim Deacon, “but it’s a real mess.”
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