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August 3, 2006

Suspicious morning blaze at Johnston salvage yard

JOHNSTON – Police and fire crews are investigating a suspicious fire at Johnston Auto Salvage, 77 Armento St., early this morning that destroyed 16 to 18 cars.

The fire at the salvage yard near the Woonasquatucket River was reported around 4 a.m. after people in North Providence heard explosions, got up and saw the flames across the river, battalion chief Charles Cavallaro said. The explosions were probably gas tanks in some of the cars, he said.

Three engine companies – 9 or 10 firefighters – worked about an hour to extinguish the blaze, which threatened to spread to another couple dozen cars, Cavallaro said. The firefighters had to work in between the cars to stop the flames from spreading, he said.

The salvage yard, which contains a couple hundred cars, has a fence around its front area, but the back isn't fenced and borders a wooded area, old train tracks and the river, Cavallaro said.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but Cavallaro stressed, “18 cars don’t start on their own.” There were lightning storms in the area, but they struck 10 hours earlier, he noted.

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 7:50 AM | Permalink

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