The Omaha Fire Department (OFD) crews battled a four-alarm fire for nearly two hours early Jan. 16 at Bumper and Auto of Omaha in Nebraska, located near 13th and Center streets.
Firefighters arrived shortly before midnight Jan. 15 to find heavy smoke and flames pouring from the windows and doors of the shop, prompting an immediate working fire declaration, according to fire officials.
At 12:15 a.m., OFD escalated the response to a second alarm as crews struggled to contain the blaze. Firefighters fought the flames for approximately 40 minutes before conditions inside the building worsened, forcing crews to withdraw from the interior and roof. By 12:30 a.m., a third alarm was called as the fire began breaching the roof structure. Crews had exited the roof moments before it started to collapse.
A final fourth alarm was issued at 1 a.m., bringing additional resources to the scene. The fire was ultimately declared under control shortly after 2 a.m. Jan. 16.
Despite the intensity of the fire, no injuries were reported, and officials confirmed no one was inside the building at the time. Damage estimates place the loss at approximately $1.25 million.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
