Monday blaze destroys Lexington County repair shop, cars

Fire devastated a Chapin auto repair shop and several cars early Monday, according to officials.

Firefighters responded around 12:30 a.m. to the 200 block of Chapin Road and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the shop, according to Lexington County spokesman Harrison Cahill. Crews from the Irmo Fire District and Columbia Fire Department assisted in getting the blaze under control.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire.

There were no injuries, Cahill said. The business was deemed a total loss, with an estimated $1 million in damages. A secondary woodworking shop next to the repair shop had smoke damage from the fire.

Five Lexington County fire units with 14 crew members responded to the scene, along with units and personnel from Columbia and Irmo, Cahill said. EMS remained on scene to assist firefighters.

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Monday blaze destroys Lexington County repair shop, cars."