NORWALK - A fire has caused about $500,000 worth of damage to the American Automotive Services Center located at 14539 Pioneer Blvd. and also destroyed at least 5 cars.

The blaze broke out around 2 p.m. when mechanics were working on a motorcycle carburetor while simultaneously charging its battery, fire officials claim.


The battery charger ignited the fumes of the gas, and quickly spread from the motorcycle to a trash can, and then to the building itself and then to the cars located inside the garage.

The shop is located across the street from one of our local landmark eateries....yep...one of the original "In and Out Burgers" on Pioneer Boulevard just south of the Five Points intersection in Norwalk.