The timely dropping off of trash likely saved a Jacksonville business from extensive fire damage.
The Jacksonville Fire Department responded to a call of a fire in the 1000 block of North Main Street at approximately 6:15 yesterday evening. Smoke could be seen coming out the gable portion of the roofline of W.L. Powersports located at 1010 North Main Street when crews arrived.
Fire Department Captain Matt Summers says the owner of the business arrived to drop off some trash just after 6:00 pm and noticed soot marks on the overhead door and light smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters gained access to the building and extinguished the fire which was contained to a piece of equipment in the rear shop area. The owner said an Arctic Cat side by side had been worked on earlier in the day.
At around 3:00 pm the unit had been power washed due to the smell of mice nesting in it and returned to the building for repair work. Investigators determined the fire started in the side by side, which according to the fire department’s report, would not start due to a low battery, but did indeed have power.
An estimate of the damage had not been determined. Summers says the fire was contained to the side by side. Some adjacent vehicles suffered heat damage from being in close proximity to the fire.