Semi Starts Brush Fire, Burning Up $2.1 Million Worth Of CarMax Cars

DEVELOPING: A brush fire has set multiple vehicles ablaze at a CarMax in Bakersfield, California; some cars exploding – KGET

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— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 24, 2019

A semi dragging a chain was reportedly driving along the Golden State Highway in Bakersfield, California when it sparked a brush fire. The flames quickly spread from the median to an adjoining lot owned by CarMax, which understandably was filled with vehicles.

The fire quickly started engulfing quite a bit of the CarMax inventory. Although the Bakersfield Fire Department was on the scene quickly, the fire had spread and the firemen couldn’t do much for the majority of the cars already ablaze. The CarMax retail store was evacuated. After the fire was extinguished, CarMax employees were able to check out just how much damage was done. After inspection, it’s reported that CarMax lost a total of 86 vehicles, 26 completely burned to the ground. The other 60 cars weren’t fully burned they were considered write-offs. CarMax reports that the loss is at least $2.1 million. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries. The semi that started the blaze is reportedly not actively being looked for.

“At CarMax, the safety of our associates and customers is our top priority. We have evacuated and closed our Bakersfield store for their safety. We’re grateful for local emergency teams who have responded to this event. We continue to assess the damage.”