Crews from Marion County Fire Rescue battled a roaring blaze Wednesday morning that destroyed a Belleview auto repair shop and left one person seriously injured.
Firefighters were dispatched at 6:46 a.m. to the fire at Top Tech, located at 12006 S.E. Hwy. 484. Multiple motorists called 911 to report the fire, with one caller on scene saying that someone was screaming for help.
Firefighters from Belleview Station #18 arrived in about two minutes and reported a commercial structure fully involved in flames. Engine 18’s crew quickly went into defensive mode, as the auto shop’s roof already was compromised, a report states.
Paramedics from Rescue 30 arrived a short time, declared a trauma alert and transported a patient to a local hospital. A battalion chief arrived and established command while completing an inspection of the fire area. The shift commander then called for a second alarm to have additional engine companies and firefighters respond to the blaze.
Crews from Spruce Creek Station #30, Villages Station #10, Shady Station #16, Anthony Station #1 and Rolling Greens Station #28 arrived on scene to battle the fire. The incident commander directed a coordinated fire attack, with firefighters working together to beat back the flames from all sides of the structure, the report says.
A primary search of the structure was completed, with no other victims being located. The fire was called under control at 7:22 a.m. The cause and origin of the blaze remain under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
