WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A fire at Jarrett-Gordon Ford in Winter Haven has burned dozens of cars and closed down a busy roadway.
Winter Haven Police Department (WHPD) said fire crews were dispatched to 3015 Lake Alfred Rd. around 10:40 a.m.
Crews found an active fire in the service bays at the back of the property. The fire spread to 20 vehicles inside and engulfed the entire service bay.
The fire was under control in about 35 minutes, according to WHPD, and no injuries were reported to dealership staff or firefighters.
“There was work being done on vehicles inside. That is what the investigators are going to find out, exactly how that happened. They are interviewing all the employees who were at the dealership to include anybody who was outside the bay themselves,” said Jamie Brown, spokesperson for Winter Haven Police Department.
WHPD shut down Highway 17 in both directions for several hours due to firefighting equipment in the roadway. Drivers coming from Highway 17 between Havendale Boulevard and U.S. Highway 92 were diverted.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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