MOUNT JEWETT – No one was hurt when a fire destroyed a garage
and a handful of vehicles at 2:45 p.m. Monday at 8592 U.S. Route 6,
about one mile west of Lantz Corners in Hamlin Township.

Mount Jewett Volunteer Fire Chief Craig Simons said Monday
officials think the building was struck by lightning, but a
Kane-based state police fire marshal still investigating the fire
listed the cause as undetermined as of late Monday night.

Simons said the garage was a total loss, and a pick-up truck,
boat, snowmobile and three-wheeler were some of the larger valued
items lost in the fire. According to a report from Kane-based state
police, the garage and pick-up truck parked outside the garage were
a total loss, and damages are estimated around $80,000.

According to Simons, the dispatch alerted the fire department of
a garage fire with explosions at 2:45 p.m. He said the garage was
“pretty good-sized” and was an old barn-type style garage owned by
Daniel Edward Shields, 31, of 8592 U.S. Route 6, Kane.

Simons said a house, also owned by Shields, was about 150 feet
away from the garage and was in no danger of catching fire.

The explosions in the fire were probably caused by about 4 or 5
gallon gasoline cans located in the garage, according to
Simons.

The Mount Jewett, Smethport, Kane, Highland Township and Hamlin
Township volunteer fire departments responded to the scene. Fire
police also directed traffic on scene at the intersection of U.S.
routes 6 and 219.

Simons said they used about 13,000 gallons of water to put out
the fire and needed that much water because the building
collapsed.

Simons said they knocked down the fire with two inch and two
quarter-inch lines, and there were about eight units at the blaze,
including a few tankers using the water system there. He said there
were about 30 to 40 firefighters on scene.

Firefighters returned to station about 4:45 p.m.

There was no immediate word on when the actual cause of the fire
would be determined.