OAKWOOD - Early estimates of the damage caused by a fire Monday night at an Oakwood automobile dealership have been put at $25,000-$30,000, according to Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle.
"As of right now the fire is still under investigation but is accidental in nature," Cagle said Tuesday afternoon, adding that lightning has not been ruled out as the cause of the fire at Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep. "Early estimates of building damage is $25,000 to $30,000. This amount doesn’t not include the contents (and it) could be days before that is number known."
Cagle said the fire started in a small storage room located upstairs and the area under the room sustained smoke and water damage.
"The building damage was very minimal due to waterlines that had burned through and helped keep the fire in check and due to the aggressive fire attack of Hall County firefighters."
Hall County Deputy Fire Chief Chad Black said just before 9:00, a couple of employees were closing up and came back to the main building and saw smoke. They called 911, according to Black. He said fire crews were able to arrive at the dealership quickly, since they were already in the area answering fire alarms because of strong thunderstorms in the south end of the county.
"They located a fire up above the parts room on the second floor of the building, almost directly in the middle of the building," said Black.
He said even though the fire was contained to that room, other parts of the building sustained heavy damage.
"Downstairs in the parts room itself - computer systems and everything else - [suffered] water damage and then smoke throughout the building," said Black.
