SCARBOROUGH, Maine — The South Portland Fire Department confirmed around 12:40 p.m. Monday that there was an all-hands fire at Moody's Collision Center on Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough.
Scarborough Fire Dept. Deputy Chief John Brennan told NEWS CENTER Maine that the department received an initial call at around 12:07 p.m. from an employee who saw the fire start.
Brennan said the fire started while an employee was undergoing the process to clean a piece of a car.
The fire happened in one of the store's paint booths, where the fire went through the store's vent system and into the ductwork. The fire was mostly contained within the ductwork but filled most of the building with smoke, Brennan explained.
According to Brennan, the fire got sucked into the ductwork like a "hood system" with a "grease fire."
Since the fire occurred in a vehicle repair shop, Brennan explained the paint may have acted as an accelerant, and other materials in the shop could have made the fire worse.
The sprinkler system put out most of the fire before firefighters arrived at the scene. All employees were evacuated, and everyone was accounted for, Brennan said.
The amount of damage to the store is unknown. No injuries occurred.
Brennan said the fire was likely accidental, and there is nothing suspicious.
Employees went back to work as soon as the sprinkler system was reset. The area in question remains closed off, according to Brennan.