Firefighter home from hospital after Kings Mountain truck stop catches fire

KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. — The Kings Mountain Travel Center was ablaze overnight, prompting a major response from nearby agencies.

The fire tore through the truck stop off of Interstate 85 northbound, right across the highway from Catawba Two Kings Casino. It started around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Channel 9′s photographer at the scene saw a massive plume of smoke and substantial damage to the multi-use building, which serves as a garage and truck stop.

Kings Mountain Fire Department calls the building a “total loss” after the fire.

Officials with Cleveland County told Channel 9 that seven departments responded, two from out of the county.

Up to fifty firefighters worked to control the fire in 75 minutes, according to KMFD.

One volunteer firefighter was hurt and hospitalized in the response, but KMFD says it was non-life-threatening. He was released from the hospital later on Tuesday.

Dixon School Road is partially open, but officials expect to be at the site for most of the morning.

The fire department is working to contact the owner and conduct an investigation into the fire.

The Cleveland County Fire Marshal’s Office is looking into the origin and cause of the fire. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. C. E. Pitman of the Kings Mountain Police Department at 704-734-0444.

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