911 call reveals what happened inside Buff Whelan Chevrolet before fire

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A man who identifies himself as the maintenance worker who started the fire at Buff Whelan Chevrolet's service center was the first to call 911 Tuesday night.

"I was scrubbing the shop floors and I think there was a gas tank on the ground. I think there was fuel leaking out if it when I went over it. It exploded and I didn't mean to go over it and I tried to go around it and it I must have barely touched it and it exploded."

He goes on to tell 911, "I tried to grab a fire extinguisher and extinguish it the best I could but it went".

The four alarm fire burned for hours. The smoke could be seen for miles. Twenty cars were burned up in the process and the service center is destroyed.

That worker tells 911 he's got burns on his arms and, "I'm so fired." The 911 operator tries to console him and tell him the main thing is his safety.

Watch Mara MacDonald's full report above.

Sign up for ClickOnDetroit breaking news alerts and email newsletters