Tire warehouse goes up in smoke

[caption id="attachment_14279" align="alignleft" width="270"] Clear Lake firefighter Greg Nicholas watches clouds of black smoke rise from the NTI Ltd. building Monday morning. Crews battled the blaze at the tire and wheel warehouse in the 2000 block of 7th Avenue North for almost nine hours Monday morning, then returned late Monday as hot spots created more flames.[/caption]

(Above) David Nieman, owner of NTI, surveys his burning buiding Monday morning as firefighters from Clear Lake and Ventura work to extinguish flames.  The Clear Lake Fire Department used its aerial truck to attack the blaze.-Reporter photos by Chris Barragy.

Clear Lake and Ventura firefighters spent nearly nine hours on the scene of a commercial building fire Monday morning.

Just after 4:40 a.m. Clear Lake dispatch was alerted to smoke showing in a building behind the Kum and Go on Highway 18, Clear Lake.  The Clear Lake Fire Department was dispatched to the 2000 block of 7th Avenue North to NTI Ltd., a tire and wheel warehouse.

Upon arrival officers noted considerable smoke showing and some flames on the south side of the building. Crews first on the scene breached a large overhead door and made entry, only to have a difficult time finding the seed of the fire. 

“The large size of the building and the amount of tires racked inside, made this fire troublesome,” said Billy Krefft, CLFD Public Information Officer.

Efforts were made to protect the immediate exposure of a second building attached by a breezeway. Some additional difficulty was encountered when a diesel tank ruptured and ignited.

Krefft noted use of the department’s new aerial truck facilitated fighting the fire aggressively.

“We would have had a much more difficult time ventilating the roof, as with the aerial we were able to get our guys up there safely,” said Krefft. “This operation required an immense volume of water and the pump on this apparatus can do the job as well as position the stream directly over the hot spots.”

NTI Ltd. is owned by David Nieman, of Clear Lake.

A sad note was the loss of Nieman’s original 1969 Chevelle that was put in storage just days ago in the back of the building.

There were no injuries reported.

The CLFD had three engine companies at the fire with 18 firefighters.  They were assisted by one engine company from Ventura with five firefighters, along with the Clear Lake EMS and CLPD.

At 11:45 p.m. Monday night firefighters were again dispatched to the scene when hot spots reportedly ignited and flames re-appeared.  They were on the scene for one hour.

Krefft said the amount of financial loss is extensive, however he did not make an estimate.

The incident is under investigation.