Fire Causes $410,000 in Damage to Tire Store, Auto Repair Shop

A fire broke out Sunday afternoon inside a Moorpark building that houses an automotive repair shop and a tire store and caused $410,000 in damage, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

In a separate fire, an Ojai house sustained $55,000 in damage.

The cause of the Moorpark fire was under investigation Sunday night.

Fire officials said it started inside the tire store and spread to the repair business, both of which are at 320 E. Los Angeles Avenue.

When the fire started shortly after 2 p.m., two employees were working on a car in a garage area of the tire store, fire officials said. They escaped injury and managed to remove two other cars and piles of inventory before the fire spread.

Flames claimed an estimated $250,000 in inventory at both businesses and caused $160,000 in damage to the structure. The building and one car were destroyed, fire officials said.

Fighting the fire could be done only from outside the businesses because of the toxicity of the burning rubber, fire officials said.

Flames and thick black smoke could be seen for miles. Several dozen people called authorities to report the fire.

The fire forced the closure of Los Angeles Avenue for more than an hour. More than three dozen firefighters were called to the scene. Despite pouring rain at the time, it was nearly 5 p.m. before the fire was out, officials said.

In Ojai, a mother and her 12-year-old son returning from a day in the snow at Frazier Park spotted a house on fire and, using a cellular phone, alerted authorities. The pair then drove to the house and tried to douse flames with a garden hose.

No one was at the home at 15450 Maricopa Highway when the fire started. Flames that spread from a potbelly stove were to blame, fire officials said.