Firefighters work to put out a fire at the former Lustine’s Collision Center in Riverdale.
Firefighters were called to a vacant Route 1 warehouse Friday to respond to a fire that officials said may be the result of arson.
Prince George’s Fire Department Spokesman Mark Brady said officials were called at about 6 p.m. and responded to a fire at 5801 Baltimore Ave. — formerly Lusteen Collision Center — in Riverdale. Police shut down Route 1 for several blocks in both directions, and at least 12 firetrucks and ambulances, plus dozens of support vehicles, were at the scene.
Firefighters used a truck’s ladder as a battering ram to knock down a garage door and gain access to the building.
“We got there and knocked down the bulk of the fire, but it took several hours to extinguish the hot spots,” Brady said.
The department is continuing to investigate the questionable circumstances surrounding the fire.
“It had no electricity and it wasn’t supposed to be occupied, which rules out a lot of accidental causes,” Brady said. “We are leaning towards a suspicious cause.”
Staff writer Jaclyn Borowski contributed to this report. rabdill@umdbk.com
