By Denise Richardson
Staff Writer
April 10, 2008 04:00 am LAURENS _ Lee Valentine lost his business Tuesday night _ for the second time. A spark from machinery ignited oil on the floor at Lee's Auto Shop on state Route 205 on Tuesday night, the owner said, and flames spread quickly. ``We tried to put it out with fire extinguishers,'' Valentine said Wednesday. ``It just took off.'' Fire destroyed the business about 20 or 21 years ago, said his wife, Linda, on Wednesday. Seeing fire again prompted ``sheer panic'' that her family was safe, she said. Nobody got hurt _ that's the main thing,'' she said. ``The rest of it will take care of itself in time.'' She said there hasn't been enough time for her husband to come to grips with the situation. Wednesday afternoon, Valentine said he put water on some hot spots earlier in the day. He pointed out a truck that was the only vehicle inside the shop, a charred steel skeleton of more than 20 years in business. ``We haven't made up our minds what we're going to do,'' said Valentine, who was wearing blue work clothes bearing a patch with the shop name and another with his name. Valentine said he was taking inventory Tuesday as his son Jeff worked on the exhaust system of a Dodge truck using a chopsaw, which sparked. As soon as the fire started, they grabbed three fire extinguishers but soon left the building, Valentine said. ``It was so hot,'' Valentine said. The smoke was dark and heavy, he said, and he couldn't go back inside to use the telephone, so he went to his house nearby to call for help. Lyle Jones, emergency services coordinator for Otsego County, said the spreading fire hit a plastic 5-gallon gasoline jug about five feet away from the oil, and the container exploded. The shop was a metal building about 24 feet by 28 feet, with a metal roof, Jones said, and the situation was like filling an oven with gas and putting a light to it. ``Fortunately, we had no injuries,'' Jones said Wednesday. Considering the structure and contents, including expensive mechanics tools, he estimated the loss at $75,000 to $100,000. A camper was parked near the burned building and was damaged. It wasn't yet a year old and hadn't been used enough, Valentine said. The camper was insured, he said, but there wasn't any insurance for the business. Machinery lost in the blaze included a sand blaster, a fly wheel, a drill press and three lathes, he said. Valentine said the truck, owned by Jeff, was insured. There wasn't a chance of saving the building, Jones said. The fire was first reported by someone from 438 County Highway 11 at 7:40 p.m., he said, and 15 to 20 calls came in to 911 after that. Jones said the quantity of calls probably was prompted by the heavy smoke from burning oil and tires, as well as the explosion. On Tuesday night, about 50 to 60 firefighters responded from departments including Laurens, Mount Vision, West Oneonta and West Laurens, with Hartwick crews called for traffic control, Jones said. Tankers provided water from Otego Creek, about two to three miles away, he said. Most crews were released by 10 or 10:30 p.m., Jones said. The fire about 20 years ago started one afternoon when Valentine had pulled a gas tank from a car, Jones said. Vapors spilled and were ignited by the heat source in a wood stove. ___ Related story, with photos: www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_100040128.html
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Photos
Lee Valentine-s destroyed auto repair garage on state Route 205 in Laurens is seen Wednesday. According to Valentine, the fire started when his son was working on a 2000 Dodge pickup truck, center.