City Times Staff

SENECA — Firefighters responded to a blaze last night in the Town of Seneca for a fire in a paint booth at TJ’s Auto, located at 3277 State Highway 73.

The 8,600 square foot building was found with fire in the ventilation system, walls, and ceiling/roof structure above the paint booth. Vesper Fire Department was assisted by fire departments from Port Edwards, Nekoosa, Rudolph, Wisconsin Rapids, Arpin and Pittsville, along with United Emergency Medical Response.

Approximately 40 firefighters were on scene.

Firefighters were on scene for approximately seven hours to extinguish the fire and remove a large portion of the metal ceiling in the building. One firefighter received a minor injury while removing metal ceiling and was treated and released from Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids.

Cause of the fire was static electricity igniting a degreaser in the paint booth. No dollar estimate of damage is available at this time.