Fire Destroys Tyrone Township Garage

Tyrone Township resident Gerald Mantela went into his garage, started the 2001 Bonneville his son had just given him, and heard a loud pop and saw some smoke.

The next thing he knew his garage was fully engulfed in flames.

“The garage immediately filled with smoke and I got out of there,” Mantela said.

The detached garaged, located at 12210 Germany Road in Tyrone Township, was in flames when firefighters arrived just before 3 p.m. Thursday.

“It was an all-wood structure and it burned quick,” said Robert Cairnduff.

No one was injured in the fire.

The garage was a total loss and Mantela said a generator and some power tools were destroyed by the blaze, and of course, the vehicle.

“It was a very nice car,” he said. “I have no idea what happened.”

Cairnduff said firefighters didn’t know what caused the car to catch fire, either.

Firefighters had to battle the blaze for more than an hour as a couple of large fuel cans burned, Cairnduff said.

“You either have to wait it out and let them burn, or use a lot of water,” he said. “We did a little of both.”

Firefighters also had to call in Woody’s Towing as a fire truck slid off the long, twisted narrow driveway.