Fire causes $1M in damage to commercial building near Elkton

ELKTON — An investigation is continuing after a blaze broke out in a section of a commercial building housing several businesses near Elkton on Tuesday, causing an estimated $1 million in damage, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The owner of Iberia Holdings — one of the establishments that occupies the building at 555 Blue Ball Rd., north of Elkton, called 911 at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday after discovering the fire at that business, which is a used auto parts distributor, fire officials said. Several area volunteer fire companies responded, and Singerly Volunteer Fire Company of Elkton served as the on-scene command unit, fire officials added.

Approximately 100 firefighters battled the two-alarm blaze for about two hours before bringing it under control, fire officials reported.

The blaze caused an estimated $500,000 in damage to the multi-purpose commercial building and destroyed about $500,000 in contents, according to an MOSFM spokesperson, who identified Donnie Horton as the property owner and The Meat Shoppe, Cooper Electrical, Diesel Unlimited, Godzilla Motor Fabrication as the business occupants, in addition to Iberia Holdings. The spokesperson further reported that no one was injured.

During their on-scene investigation, MOSFM detectives determined that the fire started inside a garage at Iberia Holdings, the spokesperson said. As of Tuesday night, however, the cause of the fire remained under investigation, the spokesperson added.

“Investigators cannot rule out medal grinding on a vehicle igniting nearby combustibles The fire originated within the garage and near a vehicle located in Iberia Holdings. Firefighters were able to contain the majority of the fire to the garage of Iberia Holdings, with extensive smoke, soot, heat and water damage to the neighboring businesses,” the spokesperson explained.