On Saturday, Dec. 29, a fiery blaze erupted at Redus Auto Repair on industrial Drive in Millcreek Township, and the fire spread to other attached businesses. The fire required multiple companies of firefighters to contain it.

Nearby, a witness from Chick-fil-A in the Erie Plaza spoke on what he saw. Jack Bennett, a witness to the fire, saw smoke beginning to rise and became curious.

“It spread quick and you could see the smoke from blocks away, Bennett said. “When I went outside to check it out, the smoke was thick.”

To fight the fire, departments from Millcreek Township, Erie City, and many other departments provided assistance.

Firefighters saw heavy fire conditions when they arrived. The roof of the structure had begun to catch on fire, and the environment became very dangerous.

“The firefighters did what they could, but the fire got into the roof, and caused a lot of issues,” Bennett said. There was also a part of the roof that collapsed, making the fight become harder.

Bennett felt upset with this impact on the businesses, stating, “I hope that they can get the assistance they need to get up and running again.”

Authorities continue their investigation into the origin of the blaze.