MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Fire officials ruled a large commercial fire as suspicious and said the Westerville Road building likely is a total loss.
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The report of a fire at 3296 Westerville Rd. was dispatched at about 4 a.m. Monday. A passing Franklin County sheriff's deputy saw the flames and reported it to dispatch.
Fire crews found the Northeast Side building’s front portion heavily involved upon arrival.
The roof of the building showed signs of collapse, and firefighters were forced to take a defensive approach to the blaze.
"As the fire progressed and conditions worsened, the roofing conditions weakened a little bit. We had to pull them out and move to a defensive operation,” Mifflin Township Deputy Fire Chief Fred Kauser said.
At one point, the incident was reported as a two-alarm fire. It later was lowered to one-alarm.
Crews had the fire back in control by 6 a.m. and contained by 7 a.m.
Fire investigators were called to the scene and ruled the fire as suspicious, but the cause of the fire remained undetermined currently.
Mifflin Township fire officials said the fire appears suspicious in part because the amount of fire in the front portion of the building when crews arrived.
Fire officials said evidence of an accelerant was found at the scene. Any evidence was to be sent to state labs for testing.
“This is a pretty high-traffic area. Even at 4 a.m. in the morning, there is still some traffic here. It’s just suspicious to have that much fire volume when the first fire company arrives,” Kauser said.
The building housed several businesses, including a restaurant, a bookstore and a mosque in the rear.
Mohammed Adam manages the property.
“You can see it's total loss,” Adam said.
Adam said he believes the fire had to do with a two-month-long lease dispute between Adam and several former mosque volunteers.
“Immediately what comes to mind is that there is someone behind this,” Adam said.
The Mifflin Township deputy fire chief said the building likely will be a complete loss with hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
The Division of State Fire Marshal and ATF also were called to the scene.
Authorities closed Westerville Road or state Route 3 northbound and southbound lanes at Innis Road while crews investigated the fire.
The road was reopened to traffic shortly after 8 a.m.
There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported.
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