Auto body shop burns to ground

Nov. 12--JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP -- A raging fire destroyed a long-time auto body shop on Route 46 just north of the Route 307 intersection late Saturday evening.

Multiple fire departments fought the blaze at Mihely's Body Shop late Saturday evening and well into Sunday morning, said Jefferson Fire Chief Thomas Lachey.

He said firefighters from Jefferson, Ashtabula Township, Ashtabula, Dorset, Austinburg and Plymouth fire departments battled the blaze.

He said 27 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire that resulted in no injuries.

Reports of the fire began around 11:16 p.m. on Saturday and when firefighters arrived they found the structure fully involved in flames, said Lachey.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by two investigators from the Jefferson Fire Department, the chief of the Ashtabula Township Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office, Lachey said.

"Undetermined and under investigation," said SFMO Investigator Jeff Koehn. "The insurance company will be bringing in electrical investigators," he said.

Lachey said firefighters were on the scene until 3:40 a.m. and went back to the station to prepare the trucks for operation and completed that task around 6 a.m. and were called out for a rekindle about 6:15 a.m.

Firefighters were on the scene most of the morning and into early afternoon combing through the twisted remains of the structure.

Lachey said the business is insured but the operation was a total loss. He said several vehicles inside the building were destroyed as well.

Many vehicles were lined up outside the building and most didn't appear to be damaged by the fire but provided a challenge for firefighters battling the blaze.

The investigators were busy reviewing

the damage and firefighters were still dealing with "hot spots" around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

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