February 22, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Fire at Used Car Dealer Damages Building

A fire that appears to have started from a wall mounted heating unit caused moderate damage to a used car sales business this morning around 11:45 a.m. Shreveport firefighters were dispatched to Courtesy Auto Sales, 2475 Texas Avenue, for the report of smoke and flames coming from a single story brick structure on the property. When crews arrived they found one side of the building, located directly across from the main postoffice, on fire and were able to quickly contain the blaze.

The interior north side of the structure along with some office furniture suffered from fire damage. Fire officials believe the cause of the fire was an electric powered heating unit mounted in the same north wall. Courtesy employee James Walker, 40, told officials that he saw the unit catch fire and attempted to extinguish the fire with a nearby water hose. By the time Walker returned with the hose, the smoke and flames were to intense for him to enter the building.

None of the dealers cars were damaged in the fire and no injuries were reported. ###