Fire investigators can't determine what caused a fire Tuesday morning that ravaged Cline Oil Co., destroying two warehouses and several vehicles.

Meanwhile, the cause of a blaze later that night on Pike Street in the city also can't be determined, but is expected to have begun in the eaves of the home, according to Bradford City Fire Department Acting Chief Merle Silvis.

"Both fires are going to be undetermined," Silvis said, adding state police fire marshal Michael McCracken was in town Thursday morning to visit both scenes.

A call left seeking comment for McCracken at the Clearfield barracks was not immediately returned Thursday night.

According to Silvis, investigators believe the 3:40 a.m. two-alarm fire that devastated Cline's began in an adjacent unattached garage at 5 Longfellow Ave., and owned by Clyde and Leslie Mott.

"What started it we really don't know," Silvis said, adding the blaze likely started on the left side of the garage. Silvis said the level of destruction to the garage helped mask any evidence on what could have ignited the fire.

"There was nothing left to really be able to tell," Silvis said.

Silvis did say, however, that a group of kids were sitting in the garage playing music earlier in the night.

"They had shut everything down around 10 p.m. and went in the house," Silvis said. "They weren't in there when the fire started. The party was outside, but they had moved inside the garage."

Silvis said no damage estimate was available Thursday; he added an insurance company representative for the Clines was on scene doing an inventory of the equipment.

"They (Clines) had so many things that are irreplaceable," Silvis said, adding given the amount of equipment lost, along with a large dump truck and two practically new pickup trucks, it wouldn't be surprising if the damages totaled more than $1 million.

During the course of the fire, seven or eight explosions from propane and acetylene tanks rocked the neighborhood. In addition to the Cline property, owned by Willard and Joyce Cline at 1 Longfellow Ave., a detached residential garage owned by Melvin Hall at 7 Longfellow Ave., and the Mott garage were destroyed in the fire.

Meanwhile, the Cline's nearby home suffered some heat damage to the vinyl siding; the same held true at Hall's residence, as well as a home owned by Robert and Charlene Messina at 3 Longfellow Ave.

At those locations, the fire was so intense that the siding melted off the homes. The Motts also lost a pickup truck and motorcycle in the fire.

City Fire Capt. James "Boo" Coder said Tuesday afternoon that all the properties were insured, except for the garage at 5 Longfellow.

The Clines have vowed to rebuild following the fire. The independent oil producer had been in business at the same location for 60 years.

In regards to the Pike Street fire, Silvis said it's believed the blaze started in the eaves at the front of the home, owned by Sharon Gobin of Hollywood, Fla.

Coder said previously that Gobin's father, Ishmieal Gobin of 168 Congress St., her brother, Ashley Gobin, and her son, Naresh Gow, were at the home working on it Tuesday. Coder said nobody was living in the house at the time of the blaze, however.

"They were doing some scrapping of the paint with a heat gun, and it apparently smoldered," Silvis said. "They thought they didn't catch anything on fire and didn't see anything."

Silvis said the Gobin's indicated that they are going to rebuild. He added damage estimates were likely between $15,000 to $20,000.

While fighting the blaze, fireman Mike Valine was injured, and later treated and released from Bradford Regional Medical Center.

There were no serious injuries in either fire.

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