JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An explosion at a local muffler shop put two people in the hospital on Tuesday. Firefighters say one of the victims has life-threatening injuries.
The call for help came around 4:30 p.m. at Rainbow Muffler on Philips Highway on the Southside.
Action News spoke exclusively with one of the victim's daughters. Amanda Shore said her mom, Debbie, heard an explosion inside the garage, and Debbie was one of the two rushed to the hospital.
Cellphone video captured flames bursting through the windows of Rainbow Muffler moments after an explosion inside the garage.
Fire officials say a mechanic was removing a gas tank off one of the cars and it sparked. Investigators say one employee was rushed to UF Health Jacksonville with life-threatening injuries.
Latest News Headlines from Action News
Debbie Shore was a customer and also injured in the blast.
"I just saw her car pass, and the whole side of it looked like it was in the explosion," said Debbie's daughter, Amanda Shore.
"Awful, I hope nobody was killed. My heart is breaking for anyone in there," Amanda Shore said.
"She called me and said there had been an explosion at the muffler shop," Judi Edwards, a friend of Debbie Shore, said.
"It's killing me, they are good guys, really good guys," said Anthony Ventresca, a regular customer at the shop.
Ventresca's car wasn't getting worked on Tuesday afternoon. Others were and now they're burnt out shells of sports cars and SUVs.
"We saw it on the news earlier today, and I said, 'We gotta get down there,'" Ventresca said.
It took firefighters 25 minutes to get the flames under control.
Action News tried to talk to the employees inside at the time of the explosion, but everyone was too shaken up to go on camera. They just stood outside their business and looked through their building, gutted by fire.
For Action News on the go, sign up for Action News Mobile & Email alerts
WJAX
