By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The Fenton Fire Dept. is investigating a blaze Tuesday afternoon in which four downtown Fenton businesses were severely damaged by fire.

There were no injuries, but a couple of firefighters were checked out for possible heat exhaustion.

The fire broke out in a dumpster which ignited a nearby tree. That, in turn, spread to a barn and then to a car, whose gas tank ruptured and exploded, catching the nearby businesses across a parking lot on fire. The barn burned to the ground.

The blaze destroyed the popular El Topo Mexican Restaurant, while the adjacent Edward Jones investment firm also suffered extensive fire damage. The two businesses are located in the Adelaide and Mill St. area. According to Fenton Fire Chief Robert Carinduff, El Topo and the Relief and Resource Co. Speakeasy - both located inside the same building - were damaged to the extent that they will have to be rebuilt.

The fire occurred exactly one week after a June 21 inferno destroyed several businesses and historic buildings in downtown Holly, which is only five miles from Fenton.