An auto wheel repair shop was severely damaged in a fire that broke out over the weekend.
Firefighters were called to the Green Valley area around 9:30 p.m. on Friday after several people called 911 reporting a structure fire.
Residents who arrived on scene said the building, a detached garage near the Shelton Apartments, was actually home to Wheel Repair Pros, a small business at 2244 Shirlington Road that repairs bent rims, curb damage and other wheel-related issues on cars.
The Arlington County Fire Department announced on social media today that the fire was caused by illegally set off fireworks and caused approximately $250,000 in damages.
“On July 5th, firefighters were dispatched to a fire at a one-story building in the 2200 block of Shirlington Street,” the fire department said in a statement. “The fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. The fire chief determined the fire was caused by fireworks that fell on or near the structure. Damage is estimated at $250,000.”
“My store was almost completely burned down,” owner Milan Čukalovic told ARLnow this afternoon.
Mr Čukarović said children had been setting off fireworks at the back of the building before the fire broke out. There were no cars in the garage at the time, but many expensive tools and machines were destroyed. Mr Čukarović is currently in the insurance process and hopes to receive full compensation for the damages.
“I hope we can bounce back as quickly as possible,” he said.
Photo from Google Maps. Jared Serre contributed to this report.
