Fire Damages Antique Car Warehouse in Mars

Fire damaged a warehouse storing close to 50 antique cars along Grand Avenue in Mars Friday afternoon.

Capt. Talo Capuzzi of the Adams Area Fire District said an outdoor fire a neighbor of the building had going caught a truck parked alongside the car warehouse on fire. The flames from the truck spread to the building.

The warehouse was unoccupied when the flames broke out.

Firefighters had the flames knocked out in about 15 minutes, Capuzzi said.

“The guys on the engine did a really good job,” he said.

The building received minor damage, Capuzzi said. Building owner Bill Sweeny said a 2004 Cadillac Escalade also was damaged. He said the other cars—which are mostly classic cars from the 1950s—inside the building also will need to be aired out because of the smoke smell.

The warehouse—which also contained antique pedal cars—is located next to the Mars Area Public Library, which was evacuated. Because of Friday’s high temperatures, the library opened its doors to firefighters as temporary place to cool off.

Neighbor Ron Leonberg, who lives across the street from the warehouse, said there was black smoke was coming from the building when firefighters first arrived on the scene.

“It was pouring out,” he said.

Firefighters from Cranberry, Richland, Wexford, Middlesex, Zelienople, Harmony and Evans City assisted Adams Area on the fire.

Check back with Cranberry Patch for updates.