Cause of Florida fire that destroyed 3,500 rental cars unknown
A week after a fire destroyed more than 3,500 rental cars in Fort Myers, Florida, investigators are not saying what might have caused the blaze.
The Fort Myers News-Press reported the cars were in a grassy area used as an overflow lot by car rental companies that service Southwest Florida International Airport. The vehicles weren’t occupied.
Witnesses said they heard multiple small explosions and flames leaping high into the air as the flames spread across the area. Another 3,850 vehicles were undamaged, according to airport spokeswoman Vicki Moreland.
“They were being stored for the car rental agencies who were not renting cars during season due to COVID-19,” Moreland told the News-Press.
According to multiple reports it took firefighters 18 hours to extinguish the blaze.
And despite the magnitude of the fire, Moreland said there were no injuries to civilians or fire personnel and the airport remained open.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
