Mt. Holly Motorsports in Burlington County closed for foreseeable future after 3-alarm fire
SOUTHAMPTON, N.J. (CBS) -- A massive fire in South Jersey consumed part of a motorsports store Wednesday. Chopper 3 was over the scene as flames tore through the warehouse.
Part of Route 206 in Southampton Township is now back open. The highway was shut down for hours as multiple departments fought to get this fire under control.
No employees or firefighters were hurt in the fire, but the business is now closed after flames tore through here for most of the day.
At one point, the roof of the warehouse was almost fully engulfed in flames and the fire chief says they faced a lot of challenges.
A raging inferno as flames towered into the air and consumed the warehouse in the back of Mt. Holly Motorsports.
Chopper 3 was over the dealership on Route 206 in Southampton Township, Burlington County.
Firefighters were called out just before 3 a.m. Wednesday and the stubborn and persistent flames were only made worse and fueled by the building's insulation and timber.
"Due to the construction of the building, it was unsafe to put firefighters on the roof," Vincent Fire Company Chief Scott Mitchell said, "and it was difficult to put out the blaze."
Mt. Holly Motorsports has been in business for 39 years, selling ATVs, dirt bikes, motorcycles and utility vehicles.
Firefighters and workers raced to save several antique and irreplaceable bikes before part of the building gave way.
Many of those antiques are now sitting in the parking lot.
"We were able to remove a lot of that for the owner and save a good chunk of what he had back there," Mitchell said.
Crews had to peel apart the aluminum on the building to help put out the flames and it took multiple fire departments nearly five hours to bring the blaze under control.
This store is one of the largest sellers of Kawasaki parts and accessories in the country, but a lot of inventory was lost in the warehouse.
The walls and roof are now mangled pieces of metal, but firefighters were able to contain the fire and save the rest of the business.
"We were able to stop the fire from getting into the main showroom and repair center here," Mitchell said.
Fire officials say the fire started in the warehouse area, but what caused it is still unknown.
The fire is being investigated by New Jersey State Police and the state fire marshal.
