A fire gutted an automotive repair shop this morning in southeast Cape Coral. No injuries were reported, according to officials.
Cape fire units responded to a call of a commercial structure fire at 10:16 a.m. at Stan’s Auto Repair, 1024 S.E. 12th Ave. When firefighters arrived the warehouse was “fully engulfed in flames,” said Cape Fire Department Division Chief Jim Heikkila.
At least 22 firefighters, plus some off-duty personnel who responded to the scene, went into defensive mode. He said crews were placed at the front and back of the struture to battle the fire, but no one went into the building.
“It wasn’t safe to send anyone into the structure,” Heikkila said.
A shop worker told officials everyone was out of the building. Four vehicles inside the structure were “fully engulfed,” along with office storage materials, he said. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to put out the flames.
“The building was a complete loss,” said Connie Barron, city spokeswoman.
The cause of the fire and where it originated has not yet been determined, she said. Economic development staff with the city will contact the owner of the repair shop to determine if any help is
needed.
“Our economic development people may have contacts for other property owners who have space available,” Barron said, adding that the staff can help with special permitting or inspections to make sure the process runs “smoothly and quickly” for the shop owner.
“We want to take care of the businesses that are in the Cape,” she said. “If we can help businesses that are in the Cape, stay in the Cape, then we’re going to do that.”