What was reported about the fire
An employee was seriously injured in a fire at New Country Auto Parts, 3013 Stanley Ave., on the south side of Indianapolis on the afternoon of Friday, October 9, 2026, according to WRTV's report[1]. The Indianapolis Fire Department was dispatched at about 4:47 p.m. WIBC also reported the fire[2], and WISH carried the same report as WRTV[3].
WRTV reported that other workers saw flames near a 250-gallon fuel tank. Several cars, shipping containers, and a 40-by-50-foot canopy burned.
A male employee was found on the ground near the tank and was moved by co-workers. Indianapolis EMS took him to Eskenazi Hospital with significant injuries. His name was not released.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and has not been determined.
What injured workers should do next
If you are hurt in a workplace fire, follow medical advice closely. Burn and inhalation injuries can change over the first several days.
Report the injury to your employer in writing and keep a copy. Keep records of medical care, missed work, photographs, and the names of co-workers who saw what happened. A Fort Wayne workers' compensation attorney can explain how a work injury claim may address medical care and time away from work.
Workers' compensation is not always the only option. When equipment, a fuel system, or an outside company plays a role in a workplace injury, a separate claim against a third party may exist. That depends on the cause, which is not yet known here. The firm's guide to workers' compensation and third-party claims explains how the two systems can overlap.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
This fire happened at 3013 Stanley Ave. in Indianapolis, in Marion County, and the Indianapolis Fire Department responded. A civil case against a third party would ordinarily be filed in Marion County or where a defendant is located.
The general deadline for an Indiana injury claim is two years under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4[4]. Indiana's modified comparative fault rule, Indiana Code 34-51-2-6[5], governs how responsibility is divided when more than one party may share fault. Whether anyone bears responsibility for this fire depends on a cause that investigators have not yet determined. You can read more about the deadline in this guide to Indiana accident claim filing periods.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a personal injury law firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana, founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm helps people across Indiana who are hurt because of someone else's carelessness. Chad Delventhal can explain how workplace injury claims and third-party claims interact, identify which deadlines may apply, and prepare for insurance companies that may aggressively defend a claim. No outcome can be promised in any case.
The firm offers a free case evaluation for people who want to discuss their circumstances.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
