Blaze at St. Paul auction lot destroys 29 cars

A fire destroyed 29 cars at an auction lot in St. Paul early Saturday morning. (Image courtesy of the St. Paul Fire Department)

St. Paul Firefighters put out a blaze that destroyed 29 cars in an auction lot in the city's North End neighborhood early Saturday morning.

Crews were dispatched to the lot at 4:32 a.m. and arrived to find 12 cars burning with the fire spreading quickly, St. Paul Deputy Fire Chief Roy Mokosso told FOX 9.

Mokosso said that after initially encountering issues accessing the fire, firefighters got it under control without any injuries or damage to buildings. The fire destroyed 29 vehicles, he said.  

Mokosso said that car fires can be dangerous because the smoke is often toxic, and the tires can explode. Firefighters navigated those risks by keeping their distance and by wearing gas masks and other protective gear.

St. Paul Firefighters shoot water onto a multi car fire at an auction lot on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 17. 

Crews had left the scene by 8:45 a.m.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 
 

The St. Paul Fire Department said the blaze destroyed 29 vehicles.