Santa Cruz Fire Causes $2 Million In Damages

SANTA CRUZ, CA -- A building housing a car dealership sustained an estimated $2 million in damages early Sunday morning in a fire that took Santa Cruz firefighters about 45 minutes to bring under control.

The fire was reported at about 7 a.m. Sunday, and when firefighters arrived, thick smoke was billowing out of a second-story window.

The fire spread quickly, Battalion Chief Dan Kline said, prompting firefighters to mount an exterior-only attack.

Though the fire was contained in about 45 minutes, the fire wasn't completely out for several hours, Kline said. Firefighters, who remained at the scene for 13 hours, had to contend with a small parking lot crowded with 30 vehicles and large roll-up doors in fighting the blaze.

Altogether, 43 firefighters helped put out the fire, with help from several Santa Cruz city departments. No one was injured.

The cause remained under investigation Sunday night, Kline said, but it appears the fire started in a ground-floor office.

--Bay City News/Shutterstock image