Lima Ohio -
A massive fire lights up the night sky in downtown Lima Monday night. Branden Ferguson was at the Central Avenue fire scene with the latest.
Lima fire crews were at the scene throughout most of the night battling the blaze, and now that the fire is out, Tuesday's focus turned to finding a cause of the blaze and cleanup efforts.
Lima Fire crews were called to the scene around 8:15 Monday night. Upon arrival, they found a full engulfed structure. Firefighters were forced to fight the fire from the outside because the flames were so hot that the roof collapsed and there was a fear the walls of the building would do the same. Therefore as far as finding any evidence to determine a cause, that won't happen.
Investigator Toby Jenkins may not find any physical evidence, or ever be able to determine a cause, but he has a theory; a theory that involves a break in and arson. Jenkins also adds that there are no suspects or motive as to why someone may have set the blaze.
With the south end of the building considered a total loss, Lima firefighters wasted no time in calling Ben's Construction to have it brought down. The damage estimate has been listed at 75 thousand dollars. Lima Fire received mutual aid last night from Shawnee Township's ladder truck. There were no injuries reported.
