Worker Burned In Fire That Gutted Auto Shop

A fire at an auto-repair shop Wednesday gutted the metal frame building and severely burned an employee, authorities said.

The cause of the afternoon blaze at Medical Lake Auto Body was under investigation, police Officer Larry Tooke said. There was no damage estimate.

An employee who was inside the shop when the fire broke out was flown to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center for treatment at the hospital’s burn unit, Tooke said. The man’s identity was not released.

A Harborview supervisor said the 28-year-old victim was in serious condition late Wednesday with burns over 40 percent of his body. The burns covered his chest and arms, and parts of his face, the supervisor said.

The flames caused several containers of oil and chemicals at the business to explode, Tooke said. , DataTimes