Long-standing business deemed total loss after structure fire

MANISTIQUE — A long-standing business was completely destroyed in a structure fire.

Around 4:00 a.m. on November 24th, Manistique Public Safety and Volunteer Firefighters responded to a structure fire at Bill’s Automotive on Chippewa Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered that the building was fully engulfed in flames.

Officials also noticed that waste oil containers had ignited. Southwest winds spread a large amount of this oil across the parking lot towards Trader’s Point Driver, making the nearest fire hydrant inaccessible to fire crews.

The fire also engulfed and destroyed four vehicles, the business wrecker truck, two cars that were being worked on inside the structure and another three that were parked alongside the building. Ten total cars were destroyed.

It is estimated that 2000 gallons of waste oil was burned or lost in the fire. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

Manistique Public Safety was assisted on the scene by the Hiawatha Township Volunteer Fire Department. The Manistique Department of Public Works was summoned to contain the remaining oil along the southern border of Trader’s Point Drive. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has been contacted to monitor additional clean up efforts.

The cause and origin of this fire remain under investigation.