Firefighters battle a garage fire early this morning at 205 Freeport Road in Summit Township. The fire, which began about 4 a.m., claimed several family businesses, and it took about two hours for firefighters from several companies to knock down the flames. "It's a total loss," said Capt. Rob Shuler of the Herman Volunteer Fire Department.

SUMMIT TWP— Firefighters this morning were still extinguishing hot spots from a fire that claimed a garage housing several family businesses.

The cause of the fire at 205 Freeport Road isn't known, nor is it apparent where in the large garage the fire started about 4 a.m. The roof of the business caved in not long after firefighters arrived.

Now, Ed Skillman, Dave McMillin and Shane McMillin are left trying to identify what is left of Ed Skillman Excavating, LADMAC Services, and Kosmic Signs and the equipment stored inside.

A passer-by early this morning woke the McMillin household by pounding on the door and told them the garage next door was on fire.

The family called Skillman, who lives across the street, and he awoke to see flames. He said at that point he had no hope the businesses could be saved.

Capt. Rob Shuler of the Herman Volunteer Fire Department said when firefighters arrived, the building was fully engulfed and it took firefighters about two hours to knock down the flames.

"It's a total loss," Shuler said.

Getting water was a problem at first, Shuler said. And even when the company was able to get tankers in, the water was freezing on the ground in the 20 degree air.

Freeport Road between Center Avenue and Bricker Road was closed for about three and a half hours while firefighters worked, detouring morning commuters down Saxonburg Road. Freeport Road reopened about 8 a.m., but only after a state Department of Transportation truck made several passes with cinders and salt.

Skillman said he and his brother-in-law, Dave McMillin, partnered in 1981 to start Night Flight Entertainment, a business that customized tour buses for entertainers. That's when they built the garage, though the businesses inside have changed since then.

Skillman runs an excavating business, McMillin has a recreational vehicle repair company and McMillin's son has a sign design shop.Another family-owned business, Sew What, is housed separately and wasn't damaged in the fire.Inside the garage was the bucket truck, the dump truck, and the trailer Skillman used for his business. Also inside was one of McMillin's RVs, now just a skeleton. A Jeep parked next to the garage also was destroyed."There were all kinds of tools," Skillman said. "It would take me all day to list the tools."He didn't know what might have started the fire. No one, he said, had been in the garage since 4:30 p.m. Monday.Skillman said it was too early to know if he'll rebuild."I have no idea," he said this morning. "Haven't even had a chance to think about it."The businesses were insured.Skillman planned to call his insurance agent even as firefighters finished raking through the rubble of the garage.In addition to Herman, firefighters from Lick Hill, South Butler, Saxonburg, Oneida Valley, East Butler and Butler assisted. The city provided a ladder truck used to attack the fire from above.