Owners begin to pull classic cars from Etna warehouse destroyed by fire
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The 1954 Ford Crestline convertible was like a member of the family to Dick Fischerkeller.
The Shaler man watched Tuesday as the car, now speckled with ash, was driven onto a flatbed tow truck and hauled away from the STORExpress location in Etna, nearly six weeks after a massive May 8 fire tore through the building.
“It’s sad to see it go,” Fischerkeller said. “It’s one of the few things that our whole family could do together that we liked.”
He took photos of the car, the fifth he’s owned since becoming a classic car hobbyist 35 years ago. Fischerkeller said he opted to take insurance money instead of repairing the car. He plans to use that money to buy another classic car.
The car was one of a fleet of collectible cars and other seasonal vehicles that were stored inside the 110,000-square-foot former mill that was owned by STORExpress as one of its self-storage facilities, the company’s owner Steve Mitnick said.
The cause and extent of the damage was still being sorted out. People like Fischerkeller, who rented spots in the facility, are now being allowed to assess the damage. An auto body shop in the area is working on about 20 cars. The owner of the business declined to comment Tuesday.
Many of the vehicles stored inside were insured through Hagerty Insurance Agency, a Traverse City, Mich-based specialty insurer, and claims are starting to come in, company spokesman Jonathan Klinger said. In many cases, vehicles that have been damaged in a fire can be restored, he said. With collectible cars, there’s an emotional value that often exceeds a vehicle’s monetary value, Klinger said.
A portion of the building remains inaccessible because of the fire damage. That’s also delayed an investigation by the Allegheny County fire officials.
The destruction caused by the fire was less than expected, Mitnick said. About 25 vehicles “took the worst of it,” Mitnick said. The rest of the between 100 and 200 vehicles that were stored there that were in the building during the fire were damaged but should be able to be repaired, he said.
Many of the cars, like Fischerkeller’s, started and could be driven outside, Mitnick said. STORExpress’ goal is to “make them whole” as quickly as possible, he said. Customers have been patient.