The Garage Karaoke building in Corbin catches fire Monday

Corbin firefighters were called to The gaRAGE Karaoke building Monday afternoon after smoke was seen rising from the structure.

Firefighters were called to the scene at approximately 3:15 p.m. after Corbin Police Officer William Stewart reported seeing the smoke as he drove up Main Street.

No flames were initially seen coming from the building at the corner of North Main and Gordon Street but at one point, black smoke could be seen coming from the rear of the former A-1 Car Care, which was turned into The Garage Karaoke and Arcade in 2019.

Co-owner Chase Gabbard, who arrived on the scene soon after the fire department, said the karaoke business had been closed and he and Jamie Brown were working on improvements to the building.

Firefighters made entry through the front and rear of the building, and a team was sent up on the roof to locate the source of the fire.

Battalion Chief Jack Partin, the department’s public affairs officer, said firefighters located and extinguished flames that had spread to the area near the back bay door.

“It burned up in the wall, and was trapped in between the wood interior and the block exterior,” Partin said said, noting that firefighters had to cut into the wall to get at the fire and ensure it was extinguished.

The source of the fire was traced to a work bench area in the rear of the building.

“The interior is pretty rough, but the outside is pretty good,” Partin said of the damage.

No one was injured.

Main Street was closed to traffic as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

Firefighters cleared the scene at approximately 4:15 p.m.

Corbin Police, Whitley County EMS, and Corbin Utilities assisted at the scene.