Fire ravages old body shop on Arkansas 161

Firefighters work Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, on Arkansas 161 near Trammel Road east of Sherwood in Pulaski County.
Firefighters work Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, on Arkansas 161 near Trammel Road east of Sherwood in Pulaski County.

Arkansas 161 was closed in both directions for nearly two hours Wednesday morning while fire crews work to extinguish a blaze that destroyed an old body shop in the McAlmont area of Pulaski County.

Crews from multiple fire departments, including McAlmont and Sherwood, responded, dousing the building in the 6700 block of Arkansas 161 from the street.

McAlmont Fire Chief Bobby Moss said firefighters were called to the structure shortly after 6 a.m., finding it fully engulfed.

"There was no way we could enter it," he said.

One lane of traffic was reopened around 7:45 a.m. with deputies alternating northbound and southbound traffic through the area.

Some flames were still visible on the roof of the structure shortly after 7 a.m. The fire appeared to have burned a large hole in the roof and destroyed the interior, which was visible through two burned and collapsed garage doors.

No injuries were reported.

Moss said the cause remains under investigation.

He said it appears the building was vacant. It had previously housed a body shop, a scrap-metal dealer and other businesses.

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