Fire burns building, cottonwood tree on Highway 50 East

A fire damaged a vacant Highway 50 East building on Wednesday afternoon.

Crews were called out around 1 p.m. to the building that once housed Family Motors at 2835 Highway 50 East behind Unique Sounds.

Mitch Zaid, co-manager of the Unique Sounds, said he was in the back of his business where cars are brought in for stereo installations when he first heard a roaring sound.

When his brother, co-manager Kaled Zaid, pointed out there were flames in the tree next to the vacant building, Mitch said he noticed two men sleeping in the shade under another tree.

"I went over and said, 'Hey get up, there's a fire!' It took them a while to move, probably they were drunk," he said.

Once the men were awakened, the two ambled off down the highway, Mitch said.

Lt. Ken Sandage said officers were trying to locate the two men to question them about the blaze.

Beer cans and blankets littered a concrete patio to the rear of the burned building.

The fire is under investigation.