Over six fire units responded to a three-alarm fire that totally destroyed a tire shop on Powell Road off U.S. Highway 11 just north of Slidell city limits Saturday afternoon.

The fire caused a large plume of dark dense smoke that could be seen as far away as Eden Isles, and caused some traffic delays on U.S. 11 while firefighters tried to extinguish the blaze.

Fire District One Chief Larry Hess said that no one was injured in the fire, but that it totally destroyed Big T Tires main store and a building behind it. Firefighters found the building involved when they arrived on the scene, and they had to call for more fire units, Hess said.

Saturday afternoon, fire officials still hadn’t determined what caused the blaze. Hess said there are two stories being told of what happened. Either the fire started on the floor of the main building and spread quickly, or the fire started in the building behind Big T Tires and spread.

Whatever the cause, Hess said that the fire spread very quickly. He said that employees tried to put out the fire with an extinguisher, but they were “overwhelmed” and finally had to call 911.

A Big T Tire employee Martin Jackson was outside when the fire started, and he started to run when other employees came rushing out of the building.

“It happened pretty fast,” Jackson said.

Hess said firefighters were concerned for other buildings in the area, especially a gas station across the street from the tire store. Firefighters were gathered in the parking lot and also were standing by near buildings behind Big T Tire, just in case the fire spread.

The firefighters finally got control of the blaze in about 50 minutes and were hosing down what was left of the tire store, which was a pile of black rubble and smoldering tires.

Hess said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.