A fire broke out this morning at the John Miles Chevrolet dealership on Dogwood Drive, consuming about a quarter of the parts department building and causing the 30-plus employees to be evacuated from the property. No one was injured or hurt in the fire or evacuation, according to Rockdale County Fire Department spokesperson Mike Lee.

The fire, which sent black plumes of smoke into the sky, started a little after 10 a.m. and was contained within an hour. Ash and water spray sprinkled down as firefighters battled the blaze, which burned through the metal walls and some power lines.

At least five engines and two ladder trucks responded to the fire, along with an engine from DeKalb County.

John Miles customer William Porter was waiting to pick up his Cavalier this morning, which he had brought in to be serviced, when the fire broke out.

"They came in and told us to get out," he said. "'The building's on fire.'"

The origins and cause of the fire is under investigation, said Lee. The fire damage appeared to be mainly within the parts buidling.

See the Sept. 5 edition of the Rockdale News for more.