Thirty CA Firefighters Tackle Blaze that Guts Tire Shop

Firefighters battled a large blaze Tuesday night at a Merced County tire shop.

According to CAL FIRE Capt. Robert Carvalho, firefighters responded at about 11:20 p.m. to a fire at GCR Tires and Service in the 1400 block of Brantley Street on the southern outskirts of Merced.

Carvalho said firefighters requested additional help from the fire departments from Merced and Atwater. A total of 30 firefighters helped battle the large blaze.

Merced City Fire Chief Billy Alcorn said the Merced City Fire Department sent about seven firefighters, including a battalion chief, one engine, and a ladder truck.

Carvalho said Pacific Gas and Electric Company removed downed power lines. The live wires slowed fire operations on one side of the roughly 10,000 to 15,000-square-foot structure. Riggs Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.

According to Carvalho, no other nearby buildings were threatened by the fire.

Fire officials said firefighters could hear explosions from what are believed to have been air compressors inside the burning building.

According to Carvalho, the burning tires and rubber inside the building initially made the fire difficult to extinguish.

The fire was contained by about 3 a.m., Carvalho said.

Fire officials said the business was closed at the time of the fire, and there were no reported injuries.

A damage estimate was not available Wednesday. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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