Dealership a 'total loss' after fire

By Anya Tikka
PORT JERVIS — Port Jervis Used Car Dealership L&S Auto Sales was gutted by fire early afternoon Thursday, Feb. 16.
Deputy fire Chief Jim Rohmer said all five Port Jervis fire departments and companies from neighboring towns had been called to put it out. No one was hurt.
The fire started inside the building at around 1:35 p.m. At around 4:30 p.m., against a backdrop of the charred interior, the fire crews were disassembling their equipment to go home.
“A call came in to 911 of a reported structure fire at 189 East Main Street," Rohmer said. "It’s a commercial building that houses the L&S Auto Sales. On arrival the building was fully engulfed in flames. We sounded a second alarm and had all units from Port Jervis here. We also called for mutual aid from our neighboring communities, and successfully extinguished the fire, but the building is pretty much a total loss.”
How the fire started is under investigation by Orange County.
“There’s nothing suspicious,” Rohmer said. “My understanding is they were working on a vehicle, and some gasoline may have leaked out, and that’s what started the fire.”