By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — Despite early reports, fire officials say the massive fire at Holmes Iron and Metal occurred near a car at the salvage yard. Witnesses had initially reported a van that had been brought in that day was the cause of the fire.

Fire Division Chief Deborah Horne said the fire started near one of the vehicles and remains as cause undetermined. She added that fire investigators spoke with an employee who said he saw smoke around one of the scrapped vehicles.

Horne said everything was burned beyond recognition and they were not able to obtain an exact cause. The fire began July 18 around 11 a.m. and burned until early the next morning. Multiple fire agencies responded to the five-alarm fire, which officials believed was in danger of spreading to a nearby Duke Energy substation.

Fire crews who arrived at the scene within four minutes determined they would need extra help. Various fire departments took water from nearby hydrants, poured it into drop tanks and fed water to engine and ladder trucks.

A crew from Norfolk Southern Railroad bored a hole underneath the railroad tracks nearby so fire crews did not have to put fire hoses over the tracks. The hoses connected to a hydrant behind the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer.

Firefighters were hampered by an inadequate water supply. The town has been in the midst of a municipal water system upgrade that officials say would resolve the water supply issues.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.