Blaze guts Modesto auto body shop

A fire gutted an auto body repair shop Saturday evening and slowed traffic in both directions for about an hour on South Ninth Street in Modesto, according to the Ceres Fire Department. The business was closed and nobody was inside when the fire started, said Ceres Fire Capt. Josh Cummings. No injuries were reported.

About 5 p.m., firefighters responded to Modesto Auto Body Shop at 557 S. Ninth St., just north of Hosmer Avenue. Cummings said the first firefighters to arrive spotted heavy flames coming from the front of the building. He said firefighters had to pry open a locked security door to launch an interior attack through the building's front entrance. The firefighters had the fire under control in about 30 minutes, he said.

Authorities closed a portion of Ninth Street in both directions for about an hour as firefighters extinguished the flames. Cummings said the fire destroyed everything inside the building and most of the structure's interior. The auto body business also sells used autos and has a vehicle lot just outside.

Cummings said a mobile home parked in the sales lot sustained minor damage from the flames. No other vehicles were damaged. Cummings said the fire caused an estimated $20,000 in damage to the structure and $10,000 to the shop's inventory. He said the fire appeared to have started near the front of the building, but the cause had not been determined.

Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or 578-2394.