A massive fire that started inside a garage bay destroyed a used car dealership in Bridgton on Thursday.

Fire Chief Glen Garland said crews responded to Ovide’s Used Cars on Route 302 shortly before noon and found flames coming from the building. As firefighters worked to knock down the flames, the fire spread to a number of other vehicles parked in and around the building.

Ovide Corbiel, the owner of Ovide's Used Cars Inc., talks with firefighters at his business, which was destroyed by a fire Thursday. John Ewing/Staff Photographer Firefighters douse hot spots during Thursday's fire in Bridgton. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

“I think we had 15 cars that had fire damage and another 25 or 30 suffered heat damage,” Garland said Thursday afternoon. “This is a pretty significant loss.”

Police closed a portion of Route 302 around noon on Thursday while firefighters from a dozen area towns responded. Route 302 was reopened to traffic at 5 p.m.

Garland said there was no fire hydrant anywhere in the area, so crews had to truck water in, which presented a challenge.

The fire was contained by about 2 p.m. but there were still pockets of flames throughout the dealership, which doubles as an auto repair shop and junkyard.

“We couldn’t have done it without help from our neighboring towns,” Garland said. “We just kept calling until we had what we needed.”

The fire is under investigation, but Garland said the cause appears to be accidental. He said five employees were working when the fire started and all got out safely.

The business owner, Ovide Corbiel, could not be reached for comment.

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