Electric heater blamed for starting Wednesday night fire in detail shop

Red and yellow lights from the City of McCook's ladder truck reflect in water running along the B Street curb as firefighters extinguish a fire at "Pride 'n' Joy" auto detailing Wednesday evening. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette) [Click to enlarge]

The fire caused $115,000 in damages to "Pride 'n' Joy Auto Detailing" and to the Pinpoint building, the neighbor on the east.

Firefighters reported "heavy smoke" gushing from the top of garage door windows as they approached "Pride 'n' Joy" at 314 West B at 7:36 p.m.

Fire Chief Marc Harpham said major concerns included fuel in the vehicles parked inside and flammable cleaning supplies, and keeping the fire from spreading to the adjoining building housing Pinpoint, a wireless telephone and internet service provider.

The initial call came in at 7:36 p.m., Harpham said, and firefighters and trucks were on the scene within one minute, with first responders reporting heavy smoke pouring from the Pride 'n' Joy building and smoke in the Pinpoint building.

"We had the fire under control within 20 minutes, and kept it from extending into Pinpoint," Harpham said. "The guys did a great job knocking the fire down," he said. "And a quick response and manpower from Red Willow Western (Rural Fire Department) were greatly appreciated."

An investigation by the McCook fire department and an investigator from the Nebraska State Fire Marshal's office in Ogallala determined that an electric heater inside a red pickup parked inside Pride 'n' Joy caused the fire.

Harpham said that preliminarily damages to Pride 'n' Joy and Pinpoint buildings and contents are estimated at $115,000. The Pride 'n' Joy building sustained extensive fire and smoke damage, and the Pinpoint building received moderate smoke damage and no fire damage, he said.

The Pride 'n' Joy building is owned by Rich and Hilda Hampton. of Culbertson. Pinpoint is based in Cambridge.

Harpham reported this morning that 19 firefighters from the City of McCook Fire Department responded, and were aided by personnel from the rural fire department. Firefighters were on the scene for about five hours extinguishing hot spots and completing the fire scene investigation.

Harpham praised the response of volunteer personnel. "Our quick response and aggressive extinguishment of the fire contained it to one area and prevented the spread into adjacent businesses," he said. "Although we had a lot of smoke damage, the situation could have been much worse."

Mark and Cathy Carman opened "Pride 'n' Joy" on Aug. 1, 2007, providing for Mark the opportunity to work hands-on on cars, his life-long love. For a Gazette news story on their new business, Mark said, "We couldn't be happier with the start of our new business. We're extremely busy and we like it that way."