VIENNA - An auto shop on Grand Central Avenue caught fire Tuesday after being struck by lightning from a passing afternoon thunderstorm.
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department responded to Best-One Tire & Services, at 1706 Grand Central Ave. in Vienna, around 4 p.m. Tuesday after flames and heavy smoke were seen coming from the rear of the business, said Vienna Fire Chief Danny Goodwin.
Officials determined the cause of the fire to be a lightning strike, which started a fire in a storage room, Goodwin said.
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Best-One Tire & Services on Grand Central Avenue caught fire Tuesday after being struck by lightning.
"There was an area where a lot of tires were stored in the back, and it sustained quite a bit of damage," he said. "We haven't put a number value on that damage yet."
An employee working in the storage area when the lightning struck was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, but Goodwin said the man was walking around and conscious after the incident. His name was unavailable Tuesday evening.
Goodwin said the fire was difficult to get to because of heavy smoke.
"We had a tough time getting back into the storage area. Visibility was almost zero because of intense smoke and heat," he said.
Williamstown Volunteer Fire Department and Parkersburg Fire Department were called in as backup units. The last truck left the scene around 7 p.m.
"We stuck around there most of the evening to make sure the fire was out and the smoke was under control," said Goodwin.
