Shop owner: Jaguar turbo engine sparks fire at Newark auto body shop
The blaze sent heavy flames through the roof and dark smoke visible from Route 78, according to business owner George Gibson.
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A Newark business owner is counting his blessings after a fire left his auto shop in ruins.
According to George Gibson, owner of Gibson Auto Shop, a Jaguar that one of his employees was working on caught on fire just after 9 a.m. That employee was able to get out safely - however, major damage to the building resulted from the fire.
Firefighters could be seen on the roof of the building with saws and axes in hand, trying to vent the building and stop the fire from spreading. A steady stream of water poured out from a fire engine in the front and, at one point, the back of the building.
“I just want to say thank you to the Newark Fire Department for doing a fantastic, coordinated job. No one got hurt in the building,” said Gibson. “They put the fire out without spreading and they worked very hard and diligently and I just want to tell them a special thanks.”
According to Newark Public Information Officer Catherine Adams, two firefighters were taken to the hospital and are being treated for injuries. One is receiving care for an ankle injury and the other is receiving care for a shoulder injury.
The origin of the fire is under investigation by the Newark Department of Public Safety’s Arson Unit.
