Altoona Gun store fire ruled accidental
ALTOONA - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were in Altoona Saturday, investigating a fire that broke out at a gun store and shooting range Friday night, damaging much of the business.
The fire inspector called the fire that happened at Outdoor City Guns on the 700 block of 8th Avenue accidental. It happened just before 5 p.m. Friday.
Crews spent three hours clearing the scene, but they were able to respond within a minute of the initial call.
Not much damage can be seen from the outside, other than some broken glass in the upstairs windows.
Fire inspector Tim Hughes said a quick response time was key.
"We have a station seven blocks away, so first initial crews did a good job as far as knocking down what fire they encountered,” Hughes said. (The) building's in pretty good shape for the amount of fire they did have."
Because the fire involved a gun store and range, the ATF was called in by Altoona fire officials and the business owners.
"We brought our crew, our certified fire investigators and ATF to help investigate the fire, jointly with the Altoona Fire Department, the Altoona Police Department, and to try to determine the cause and origin of this fire," Joseph Price, the ATF resident agent in charge, said.
Price said the fire appears to have started in the wall separating the gun range to the main part of the building.
Officials said the majority of the damage was on the first floor, but it did spread throughout the building.
"Due to the vent system with shooting ranges, it did get access to the roof,” Hughes said. “It did some damage to the roof structure, as far as trusses in the roof area."
The business was open at the time, but customers and staff got out safely, without any injuries.
On Saturday, ATF agents also provided assistance to the business owner to get inventory of their firearms.
Estimated damages have not been determined yet.
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