COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Flames destroyed a tire and auto shop in Cobb County Monday morning. Firefighters tried saving the building after getting several 911 calls.
The fire happened near Mableton Parkway and Lynne Circle.
The flames shot out of the building's roof as black smoke rose into the clear blue sky making the fire visible from miles around.
A man who asked not to be identified spoke to Channel 2's Jade Hernandez showing her a photo of his '66 mustang that was inside the building.
He said it was a car he saved up for years to purchase and had driven only three times. He had it in his possession less than a month.
"It was a dream car, what can I say?" the car owner said.
He watched as firefighters sprayed water on top of and into the tire and auto shop.
Ted Hunt stopped to see the progress up close.
"We were coming up Bankhead right there where Discovery Boulevard is and we could see the smoke all the way down there," Hunt said.
Firefighters told Hernandez that burning rubber and petroleum products create all kinds of issues when fighting a fire.
"It's not like wood where you put water on it one time and it goes out. Tires you have to remove them from the pile and sometimes even use foam to get the fire totally out," Lt. Dan Dupree of the Cobb County Fire Department said.
The fire department worked quickly to put the fire out within hours which kept Mableton Parkway open to through traffic.
The owner of the shop told Hernandez that his shop doesn't open up until 8:30 a.m. so no one was inside or hurt during the fire.
As for the owner of the Mustang, he says he'll continue to be thankful he has insurance.
WSBTV
