A fire broke out recently in a used car lot in Hialeah, Florida, forcing 10 to 15 people out of nearby homes, Capt. Cesar Espinosa said.
The fire started late last Wednesday night at the JC Express Lube, 1401 Palm Ave.
Firefighters arrived to heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the building, with a vehicle near the back of the building fully engulfed in flames.
The roof of the business collapsed, but firefighters extinguished the flames.
Ten to 15 people were evacuated from homes next to the business. Espinosa said those residents would not be allowed back into their homes until the fire was out and their properties had been checked for damage.
Eddie Kassem owns Victory Motors next door and said both businesses had damage from a tornado a few weeks ago. He believes that might have played a role in the fire.
"It has to be an electrical problem. Just last week, we lost all these poles with a little tornado that was here," he said.
The building was deemed a loss.
Almost every fire truck in the city was called in to extinguish the flames and firefighters worked overnight to control the inferno.
"Now we go to zero again," Kassem said.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
This article originally appeared on local10.com
