GORDONVILLE TRASH FIRE DESTROYS CLASSIC CARS

GORDONVILLE, Mo. -- A trash and leaf fire got out of control Saturday and destroyed two cars, parts and everything else inside a storage shed belonging to SEMO Classic Mustang.

"We've already had clients come by and ask if it was their car," said Jeff Sneathen, owner of the car restoration shop.

The fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. after owners of a neighboring store saw smoke, Sneathen said.

A pile of trash and leaves had been set on fire just east of the storage shed, and had been left unattended for about five minutes before smoke became noticable. Winds blowing at more than 10 miles an hour from the south likely stirred up the burning pile and carried some of it underneath the shed, Gordonville firefighter John Peters said.

Volunteer firefighters from Gordonville, Millersville and Delta arrived with two engines and two tanker trucks within about 10 minutes, Sneathen said.

The interior of the storage shed was completely ablaze when firefighters opened its doors and began spraying water, Peters said. Cardboard and paper stored along with the cars and parts increased the fire's intensity and probably made salvaging anything impossible, he said.

"As soon as we got the doors open, we knocked it out quickly," Peters said.

A 1967 convertible and a 1969 big block were lost in the fire, Sneathen said.

Sneathen has been restoring Mustangs as a family business for 22 years, and distributes a 90-page catalog of parts, restoration and services to clients worldwide.