The intersection is considered to be the most heavily traveled in Winamac, and crowds of emergency responders and spectators soon clogged the site.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s office quickly issued a warning for pedestrian and motor traffic to avoid the area.

Pulaski County REACT immediately secured the scene and re-routed highway traffice, allowing firefighters to control the blaze.

Also, an electrical power outage resulted from the fire that extended over much of the Winamac area, as well as reports of the loss of some telephone and internet services

No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire.

Damage to the business was extensive, in spite of the quick response from the Winamac Volunteer Fire Department and several area fire departments. The business structure was quickly determined to be a total loss. Damage to some nearby structures and homes was also reported 

After the flames were controlled, firefighters remained on site to battle hotspots. These efforts continued Monday afternoon.

Fire investigators immediately began the process of determining a cause for the fire. The Indiana State Fire Marshal's office was also called to the scene.

No immediate cause for the fire was determined, although some early reports indicated the blaze may have begun within a vehicle inside the building. The incident remains under investigation.

Also responding to the scene were volunteer fire departments from Star City, Monterey, Francesville, Bass Lake, and Knox.

Fire ruled accidental

WINAMAC - The Indiana State Fire Marshal's office has ruled Sunday's fire at Jenkins Service & Tire Sales in Winamac as accidental, according to Bill Weaver, fire chief of the Winamac Volunteer Fire Department.

Weaver said Monday that a state investigator responded to the scene Sunday evening. The local fire chief explained the fire began when a worker was welding a bracket onto a car in the facility's shop, and the car caught on fire.

Weaver said the fire call came in a little after 12 noon on Sunday, and it was a report of a car on fire inside the shop. He reported the first firefighters on the scene saw "a little bit of fire" inside the building when they arrived. "By the time we got set up, the fire was coming out of the roof."

It took firefighters around two hours to get the fire under control, Weaver said.

Weaver noted there were tires stored on the second floof of the building which burned, causing the plumes of black smoke.

Firefighters also directed a lot of their efforts to saving the house behind the business, which suffered melted siding and broken windows from the heat. A second nearby house also had similar damage.

Reported by Karen Clem Fritz

About Jenkins Service & Tire Sales

The Jenkins firm was founded In 1937, According to the company’s website, Jim Jenkins purchased the business from Dugon Zellers, who owned the building and the ground. Sales of block ice and gasoline supplemented income from auto repair service and the sale of a few tires. By 1960, Jim and Esther Jenkins were owners and had expanded the current building. Bill and Fluff Jenkins bought the business when Bill’s father, Jim, retired in 1968.

Bill Jenkins saw many changes in the business over the years, as he began helping his father at the age of 12. The tire business expanded enormously, handling tires for all kinds of vehicles, while still offering tune-ups, brake service, exhaust systems, automotive air conditioners, and alignments. The gas pumps were removed in 1988.

Today, the business is owned by Kevin Kolish.