Two men were injured and most of the building housing Burgess Amusement and Special Events was destroyed Friday night in a blazing inferno.

Newton County Fire Marshal Tim Smith said the cause of the fire was still under investigation and that the building was a total loss.

When the first fire unit arrived about 15 minutes after the initial call, they reportedly attempted to enter the building and extinguish the fire, but the firefighters were soon driven back into a defensive mode, Smith said.

The firefighters were then able to contain the blaze to the single building. By 10:45 p.m. the fire was under control, Smith said.

Two workers were injured in the fire, with each victim suffering burns to their faces. One of the men was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta while the other man was transported to the Newton Medical Center. Smith said neither man was seriously injured.

According to the company's Web site, Burgess Amusement has been owned and operated by Ron Dudik, Jr. since 1997. The company rents party supplies including inflatables and carnival rides and games.

Justin Morgan, whose family rented the building to Burgess Amusement, said Dudik had spent the last 10 years collecting vintage theme park rides for his business, most of which were lost in the fire.

"It's really a shame; he's put a lot of hard work into his business," Morgan said.

Morgan said he and others aided firefighters in extinguishing the blaze by working from behind the building while the firefighters sprayed down the front.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said Smith.