Car crusher destroyed by fire at Bastida Towing

Fire crews battle a blaze that engulfed a portable car crusher and its towing vehicle at Bastida Towing.

A portable car crusher was destroyed by fire on the back lot at Bastida's Towing Friday afternoon, Dec. 28.

The crusher and the truck that tows it, were fully engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived shortly after the call came in at about 2:15 p.m.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but Rob Zuber of Nampa, the owner of the equipment that crushes cars into small square bundles of metal, said he had been crushing a vehicle when he heard a loud pop in the machine and suddenly fire broke out. The flames quickly spread to the truck that tows the crusher. "That's my life, there," Zuber said sadly as he watched the fire.

Fire crews spent several minutes bringing the stubborn fire under control.

Fire officials estimate the damage at $500,000.