Storage Fire Cause Unknown

Joyce Lewis was one of the few people who learned the fate of her storage unit.

"I'm speechless, that's all," said Lewis, as a company manager told her the unit she was renting was destroyed.

"My babies' pictures, my BS degrees, diplomas, all of that," she said, listing things she lost.

Like everyone else who showed up at Public Storage on Azalea Road Thursday, Joyce wasn't allowed to see the damage for herself. Nearly 72 hours after the fire, investigators are still working to figure out what caused it.

"Right now we don't know if it was set. We don't know if it was accidental. We're kinda at square one at this point," said Steve Huffman, a spokesman for Mobile Fire-Rescue.

Caution tape blocked customers from driving onto the storage facility's property. Managers, who were on the scene Thursday afternoon, told customers they'd be contacted by the company, and appointments would likely be scheduled next week for people to check out their units.

The fire, which started Monday night, burned for more than 15 hours and did an estimated $1 million worth of damage.

Customers with questions can call Public Storage on Hillcrest Road, but it is unlikely they will have information about specific units.