Firefighters battle heavy smoke, explosions at B-20 Auto

(Above) Clear Lake firefighters, with pumper assistance from neighboring communities, spent four hours on the scene of a blaze at B-20 Auto last week.-Reporter photo by Chris Barragy.

Clear Lake firefighters, assisted by departments from throughout North Iowa, battled heavy smoke, flames and explosions when fire broke out at a rural Clear Lake auto salvage yard.

The Clear Lake Fire Department was dispatched to B-20 Auto, located at 7600 300th St., Clear Lake,  for a reported car on fire inside of a building Wednesday, Nov. 9, at approximately 3:45 p.m.

Upon arrival , firefighters confirmed the metal building was fully involved and that all occupants had safely evacuated.  The building and all contents are considered a total loss.

The fire was reported to have been started by sparks from a grinder igniting nearby flammable materials.

The CLFD fought the fire for four hours with four engine companies, one command vehicle, one ambulance, one tanker, one brush truck, and numerous other pumpers and tankers from Ventura, Hanlontown, Manly and Fertile fire departments.     The CLFD was also assisted at the scene by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa State Patrol.

Officials closed a segment of County Road B-20 to facilitate access to the scene by emergency vehicles.