A fire early Sunday morning at Cooke Trucking caused almost $300,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire is still undetermined, but it is known that a fire broke out in a tractor trailer then spread to two other tractor trailers.

The Mount Airy Fire Department responded to the fire a little after 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. Bannertown Fire Department, Franklin Fire Department, Four Way Fire Department, Mount Airy Police Department, Haz-mat, and the State Bureau of Investigation were also called out to the scene. Captain Danny Vipperman of the Mount Airy Fire Department said it is customary for the SBI to be called out when the cost of the damage is high. Haz-mat came out to clean up the spilled fuel if needed.

Vipperman said the fire was under control a little after 4 a.m., but workers were still cleaning up the scene at lunch time. He said the scene is still not completely cleared. Workers had to unload boxes of produce from two of the trucks, which were filled to the ceiling.

“It was a time consuming operation,” Vipperman remarked.

The trailer that initially caught on fire was empty, but the other two that caught on fire were filled with produce. The fire caused $215,000 damage to the vehicles and $77,000 to the contents. Vipperman said the produce was all ruined and it is likely that none of the vehicles can be repaired.

The fire took place at the main lot at the maintenance shop at Cooke Trucking, located off of Highway 52 in Mount Airy. The cause is still under investigation. Chris Fallow and Vipperman of the Mount Airy Fire Department are investigating the cause.

“I don’t know if it will ever be resolved,” said Vipperman.