LYNNFIELD — Fire crews had to contend with “zero visibility” as they battled a two-alarm car fire that filled the showroom of a Mercedes-Benz dealership with heavy smoke early Thursday morning.
Although firefighters were able to contain the fire to the car where it had originated, between 20 and 25 other vehicles were exposed to smoke and water damage, according to Lynnfield Fire Chief Glenn Davis.
“Our Engine 2 was the first to respond and encountered heavy fire and zero visibility in the building,” said Davis. “(They) had to force their way into the building and they began their fire attack. (We) struck a second alarm on my arrival due to the potential of multiple vehicles inside the building in zero visibility.”
The fire broke out at Flagship Motorcars on Route 1 North at approximately 4:45 a.m. A security officer walking the parking lot had alerted the fire department before the building’s fire alarm had gone off, Davis said.
The Mercedes that was burned appears to be a total loss, but the other vehicles on the crowded showroom floor were largely spared and there was no structural damage to the building, Davis said.
The dealership quickly became mobbed with first responders after the department’s call for mutual aid. In addition to a response from all Lynnfield apparatus, crews from Wakefield and North Reading assisted at the scene, Davis said.
There were no injuries, but the cold, icy conditions in the early morning hours caused a couple of firefighters to fall.
Firefighters started to clear the scene by about 6 a.m.
Despite the smoke and water damage in the building, Flagship Motorcars was open for business on Thursday, according to an emailed statement from Herb Chambers, president of the Herb Chambers Companies, which owns the dealership.
“We are thankful for our security company, whose employee first noticed the fire and alerted firefighters before the alarms even went off,” said Chambers. “The quick response of the Lynnfield Fire Department and our security team prevented this from being worse. Flagship Motorcars is open for sales and service without any delays for our customers.”
It’s been a difficult week for the Herb Chambers Companies.
The fire followed the theft of two Lamborghinis from a Herb Chambers dealership in Wayland early Tuesday morning. The cars were recovered after they were found crashed in Malden later that morning, according to multiple reports.
The cause of Thursday’s fire is under investigation by the Lynnfield Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s office. Davis said it’s too early to speculate on whether it was accidental.
