Auburn, NY – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire at automotive repair shop; No injuries reported

The work of firefighters and a functioning sprinkler system kept an overnight fire at a downtown Auburn automotive repair shop from causing structural damage to the main building.

The Auburn Fire Department responded to a call made by the Auburn Police Department at 11:59 p.m. Monday for a fire at Trombley’s Automotive Services at 10 E. Garden St., AFD Chief Mark Fritz said.

Firefighters encountered an exterior blaze on the east side of the building and had it extinguished within roughly an hour, Fritz said.

The fire appeared to have started in a wooden enclosure outside the building that was used to store tires. Investigators were still working to determine how it started as of Tuesday afternoon.

Fritz said the fire did not cause any structural damage to the building. One reason for that was the building’s sprinkler system, which has sprinkler heads at every window.

“That operated as it should and kept the fire from going into the building,” Fritz said.

The chief said there were no reports of injuries.

Because the fire damage was limited, Trombley’s was open for business as usual on Tuesday morning.