Marion County firefighters battled a roaring blaze Monday night in Belleview that ripped through a commercial landscaping company that does a lot of business in The Villages.
Multiple crews from Marion County Fire Rescue responded shortly before 7 p.m. to The Shepherds Lighthouse Commercial Landscaping at 10521 U.S. Hwy. 27 after several 911 callers reported thick black smoke billowing from out of the roll-up garage doors at the commercial structure.
TSL has $1.4 million in contracts in The Villages for common areas including at recreation centers, dog parks, near entrance gates and at retention basins. The company’s owner informed The Villages District Office that all equipment, except the equipment loaded on trucks, was lost in the fire. He said the lost equipment would be replaced within 72 hours. He indicated there would be no interruption of service in The Villages.
During Monday’s blaze, Engine Company #18 arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming from the building. A district captain quickly completed a 360-degree inspection of the fire grounds. Several other units – Spruce Creek Truck Company #1, Shady Engine Company #16, Heavy Rescue #1, Rolling Greens Engine Company #28 and Shores Engine Company #17 – also arrived assisted in battling the blaze.
Firefighters deployed multiple hose lines, established a water supply and forced entry into the structure. Crews made an aggressive interior attack on the fire but were evacuated a short time later, as the roof was severely compromised.
The fire was called under control at 7:21 p.m. The origin and cause of the blaze remains under investigation by Marion County Fire Rescue’s fire marshal. There were no injuries in the fire but the building and equipment inside it were heavily damaged.
Monday night’s blaze was the second one at a commercial structure in Belleview in a little more than two months. In February, flames ripped through Aunt Fannie’s Restaurant and destroyed the popular eatery located at 6147 Abshier Blvd.
