Fire at auto repair shop knocks out power to hundreds of Montebello residents
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A two-alarm blaze at a Montebello auto body shop knocked out power to hundreds of homes early Wednesday morning, fire officials said.
The fire erupted at Seidner’s Collision Center in the 300 block of Whittier Boulevard around 12:30 a.m., according to Battalion Chief Fernando Palaez of the Montebello Fire Department. The fire was first reported as an explosion by police on the scene, and flames were shooting through the roof of the structure toward power lines by the time firefighters arrived, Palaez said.
Power had to be cut in the area, knocking out service to roughly 300 homes in Montebello, Palaez said.
Service was expected to be restored by around 9 a.m., according to Pelaez.
The cause of the blaze was not immediately known and no one was injured, he said.
The fire, which may have been partially fueled by paint, acetylene tanks and other auto repair chemicals inside the building, was brought under control around 3:30 a.m., according to Palaez. Several cars were also inside the structure at the time of the fire, he said.
It was not clear how severely the building had been damaged.
Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
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