A rural Austin's man eBay business is in jeopardy after an early morning fire destroyed his warehouse and numerous items inside that were to be sold on the online bidding site.
Mark Raimann, who lives alone off Highway 218, said he was awoken at 3 a.m. by an explosion in the warehouse located adjacent to his home.
"All I seen was a big orange flame," Raimann said of his first look out the window.
About 20 firefighters from Austin responded to the call, along with members of the Lyle and Rose Creek fire departments. They prevented the blaze from spreading to Raimann's home but were unable to save the other warehouse.
Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi called the warehouse a total loss but declined to pinpoint an exact dollar amount. She said Raimann claimed the antiques, toys and collectibles were valued at more than $1 million. Among the more valuable items Raimann said were lost were a 1946 Seeburg jukebox and a 1967 Indian motorcycle.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said he had 18,000 items listed on the popular auction site and had at least one employee.
"It makes me ill," Raimann said of the ashy remnants. "I'm probably a million dollars short on (insurance) coverage."
The destroyed structure was built 27 years ago as a shed, though it's been improved over the years. It now included such amenities as in-floor heat, Raimann said.
