Two hurt when auto body shop explodes

Tom Gardner

Thursday, April 29, 1999 | 12:11 p.m.

RENO, Nev. - Two people were hurt, one critically, early today in the explosion of an automobile body shop that reduced the two-story building alongside U.S. 395 to rubble.

The two were the only ones in the building at the time of the blast, according to Reno Fire Chief Chuck Lowden.

He said the unidentified man was at the back of the Maaco Auto Painting & Bodyworks shop when the blast occurred shortly before 7 a.m.

He was admitted to nearby Washoe Medical Center in critical condition with head injuries and was being treated in the intensive care unit.

He was trapped under part of the collapsed ceiling and fire crews had to use power equipment to cut through the timbers to free him, KOLO-TV reported.

The second man received cuts and scratches.

Black smoke still was pouring from the building more than four hours after the blast as paint and solvents burned off. Cans of volatile liquids continued to explode into the morning.

Firefighters were letting the fire burn itself out because it was smoldering beneath the rubble and streams from the hoses couldn't reach it. Bulldozers were standing by to spread the debris once the flames died down.

Fire crews also were hampered in their efforts to quench the flames by toxic smoke and fumes that were blown about by light but erratic breezes.

Masks were issued to the media because of the hazardous fumes.

"It's kind of like a campfire. You can never get out of the way of the smoke," KOLO reporter Shelly Segale said. "It smells bad. You can tell it's got a paint and sort of solvent smell to it."

The shop is directly across from where the Glendale offramp exits northbound U.S. 395 at the Reno Hilton. The ramp was closed because of the number of fire vehicles blocking the exit and Glendale.

The morning commute was a mess as onlookers backed traffic for miles in both directions.