MURFREESBORO — Three fire departments responded to an early morning fire at a business near here.

On Tuesday morning, Murfreesboro Fire Department (MFD) assisted by Como and Winton Fire Departments battled a blaze at Rose Brothers Paving Company’s Murfreesboro Asphalt Plant located on Rose Road off Highway 258 just north of town.

According to MFD Assistant Fire Chief Lee Thompson, the call came at approximately 7 a.m. reported from an alarm that had been set off at the business. Thompson said the initial report was that it was a burglary alarm, but once Hertford County deputies arrived at the scene they discovered a fire.

“When we (MFD) arrived there were flames visible coming out of the right front office,” he said. “The fire had ventilated itself and heat and smoke had spread throughout the building.”

Thompson said Como and Winton Fire Departments were called in to assist with extra man power and tankers at the working structure fire, something the fire department typically does under their mutual aid agreement with neighboring departments.

“We were able to make entry through the front door and contain the fire to the one office,” he said.

Thompson said approximately 15 firefighters from the three departments worked to put out the fire, a task that took around three and a half hours.

He added the fire damage was contained to the office, while the rest of the building received heat and smoke damage.

Thompson said the blaze began in the right front office and the cause is believed to be from an electrical short. No foul play is suspected.