A vehicle wheel repair business was heavily damaged by a fire over the weekend.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Green Valley neighborhood around 9:30 p.m. Friday after several people called 911 to report a building on fire.
Described by arriving units as a detached garage near The Shelton apartments, the building turned out to be home to Wheel Repair Pro, a small business at 2244 Shirlington Road that repairs bent rims, curb damage, and other car wheel-related issues.
The Arlington County Fire Department said today on social media that the blaze was sparked by errant fireworks, causing around a quarter-million dollars in damage.
“On 7/5, units were dispatched to the 2200 blk of Shirlington Rd for a fire in a 1 story building,” the department said. “The fire was quickly extinguished with no injuries reported. Fire Marshals determined the fire was caused by fireworks striking at or near the building. Damage is est. at $250,000.”
“Pretty much my whole shop is burned out,” owner Milan Cukalovic told ARLnow this afternoon.
Cukalovic said there were kids lighting off fireworks behind the building before the fire broke out. No vehicles were inside the garage at the time but a number of expensive tools and machines were destroyed. He’s now working through the insurance process and hopes to get fully reimbursed for the losses.
“Hopefully we can get back on our feet as soon as possible,” he said.
Photo via Google Maps. Jared Serre contributed to this report.
