NESHANNOCK TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — Several cars were destroyed early this morning when a fire swept through a car dealership in Lawrence County.

The blaze was first reported just before 4 a.m. at King Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Wilmington Road in Neshannock Township.

Officials say a delivery truck carrying parts knocked a utility pole down onto the building and ignited a car inside.

“The transformers fell inside the structure causing a vehicle that was inside the shop to catch fire,” said Dave Congini, of the Neshannok Volunteer Fire Department. “When we made entry, that’s where the bulk of the fire was, the vehicle that was actually burning and some paper supplies, records, things of that nature that we put out.”

The body shop was destroyed in the fire.

With records destroyed and the power out, it caused another problem – trying to get in touch with the owners of the cars.

“We have two total loss cars in there,” said Greg Orpen, a mechanic. “We have two, three cars in there that are questionable. I assume customers will find out and they’ll be stopping in hopefully.”

Orpen works at the dealership and says the fire department was able to at least stop the fire from destroying the business.

“The showrooms, the service department are fully functional; they just need to get the power back on,” added Orpen.

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