Soon-to-be car dealership catches fire overnight in Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- A charred skeleton of a structure is all that's left on the corner of V and 16th in Merced after a fire tore through the building around 3 Monday morning.

"First unit arrived on scene to find a fully involved 2500 square foot wood-frame structure that was under construction," City of Merced Fire Chief Casey Wilson explained.

Neighboring businesses say the structure was going to be part of a new car dealership.

"It sucks," Abdallah Abdallah with Western Motors said. "Costs money and time."

Western Motors, right next door, was only minimally damaged.

"The flames just got up there to the banner," Abdallah explained. "If the fire department had taken longer, it could've gotten bigger."

Chief Wilson says crews got the blaze under control in 30 minutes.

He adds that this is the second fire at this location.

"There was an abandoned building a few years ago that also burned," Chief Wilson said. "Unfortunate because the local developer and contractor were working to revitalize this area."

This is just one of many fires in the city within the last year.

Over the past summer, a thrift store on U and Main streets went up in flames twice.

"It's heartbreaking to see these fires in our downtown community," Chief Wilson stated. "There's been a lot of effort from local contractors and developers to revitalize downtown."

The cause of Monday's blaze is under investigation.

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