Fire Causes Major Damage at Local Business

A two-alarm fire Tuesday at golf cart sales and repair company in El Cajon caused about $900,000 in damage to the structure and vehicles at a neighboring car dealership, prompted a temporary shut-down of area streets and halted trolley service, but no one was injured.

Smoke and flames were spotted rising from the service area at Cottonwood Electric Cart Service at 800 El Cajon Blvd. around 4:45 a.m., and a second alarm was immediately issued because of the intensity of the fire and its proximity to surrounding businesses, according to Heartland Fire & Rescue.

About 30 firefighters had the blaze under control in less then an hour, authorities said.

The two-story brick office building next to the service area sustained fire damage when the flames spread in through a window on the side of the building. A few vehicles at the adjacent Automasters sales lot sustained heat damage, according to Heartland Fire & Rescue. Investigators estimated the damage at $900,000.

Investigators listed the cause of the fire as undetermined because numerous ignition sources were located in the service bay, officials with the agency said. A steel fire rated door between the service area and the office building was credited by investigators as saving several electric carts on display in the building's first floor, along with several computers, authorities said.

Trolley service behind the business was temporarily stopped while crews worked to extinguish the blaze and El Cajon Boulevard was closed between Washington Avenue and Boulevard Place.

-- City News Service