POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews put out a fire that broke out overnight at a storage facility in Pompano Beach.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the blaze at the Extra Space Storage in the area of South Dixie Highway and Southwest Ninth Court, at around 2 a.m., Friday.
Heavy smoke was seen coming from the unit.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before it spread any further.
Officials said the fire damaged at least nine units, and all 40 units sustained smoke damage.
“Several bays were involved upon arrival, heavy fire and smoke,” said Pompano Beach Fire Rescue Battalion Chief David Sheflin. “We got a good knockdown on it. We’re doing overhaul trying to see where the seed of the fire was.”
Firefighters had to cut parts of the unit doors to reach the flames. They then took about an hour and a half to extinguish the fire.
A car inside one of the units was destroyed.
The storage facility informed those affected by the fire.
A peek inside these units showed belongings people probably don’t often use or don’t have space for, such as cardboard boxes, some furniture and a ladder.
However, Robert Gathercoal said he used his unit almost every day.
“It’s almost like going home and seeing your house burned down. It’s crazy,” he said. “That’s my business. That’s where I run my business out of.”
When Gathercoal came to get his work tools our for his next job, he was shocked to see fire crews surrounding the facility.
“That’s why I was just there, to get some hinges for Monday, but they won’t let me in,” he said.
Fortunately, Gathercoal had insurance on his unit, and hopefully other did as well.
“I guess the fire inspector there was talking to some other lady who works for the storage place, and I over heard him say something about a guy in boxers coming out of there carrying boxes,” said Gathercoal.
Crews remained at the facility all day Friday sealing the unit doors back up to hopefully keep the valuables safe.
Fortunately, Gathercoal said he had insurance for his unit. As the shock wore down, he said, he has questions.
“The fire inspector, he was talking some other lady that was there … and I overheard him say something about a guy coming out of there carrying boxes,” he said.
South Dixie Highway was shut down but has since reopened to traffic.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The estimated damage to the building is at least $250,000, but that does not include the contents of the storage units.
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