The investigation into a November 2023 explosion and fire at Jimbo’s Auto Repair in Hillsboro remains open and the cause has not yet been determined, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said this week.

”The Hillsboro explosion remains an open and ongoing investigation with the State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau. The cause is currently undetermined with no additional details to share,” said Andy Ellinger, senior public information officer, Ohio Department of Commerce/State Fire Marshal. “I do not have a timetable for release of cause or completion of the case at this time.”

The State fire Marshal’s Office said that around 4 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2023, the Hillsboro Police Department, Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District and Lynchburg Fire Department responded to a report of an explosion and fire at 502 S. High St. The address was the location of Jimbo’s Auto Repair and the building was owned by Bill McCoy of Landrum Oil, LLC in Wilmington, the fire marshal’s office said in response to a public records request.

Upon their arrival they found a female employee of the business had been ejected from the building as a result of the explosion, and three other employees were still inside the structure, the fire marshal’s incident report said.

The fire was extinguished and the Highland County EMA director requested the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire and Explosion Bureau, to conduct the investigation, according to the report.

After state investigators arrived and initiated the investigation, three unidentified bodies were recovered from the debris. Those three were later identified as Tim Furbee, 47, of Lynchburg, David Beaver, 33, of Hillsboro, and Cameron Boatman, 19, of Peebles.

The female that was ejected from the building was transported to Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro with non-life-threatening injuries. She was identified as the mother of the business owner, James “Jimbo” Chambers.

The State fire Marshal’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District Chief Dave Manning previously said that upon arrival at the scene there was debris everywhere and the auto repair shop was heavily involved in fire and smoke, which had extended to a vacant building immediately to the east.

“From what I felt at the firehouse and from what I’ve seen, I think that says a whole lot,” Manning said about an explosion being the cause of the fire.

Several people at nearby businesses said an explosion heavily shook their buildings.

A large number of vehicles on the repair shop lot were damaged or destroyed.

Manning said it was probably around 11 p.m. before local firefighters cleared and scene and cleaned everything up. Firefighters were called back at 12:20 a.m. the next day after the fire rekindled.

“There was some debris and smoldering that we couldn’t get to because we didn’t want to mess up the scene for the fire marshal’s office,” Manning said.

Larry’s Party Shop, located immediately to the east of the vacant building, has been closed since the day of the explosion due to smoke and water damage from firefighters battling the fire in the attic of the neighboring building.

Owner Shane Wilkin said Thursday that he plans “100 percent to reopen,” but he doesn’t know yet when that will be. “We’re in the process of deciding what upgrades we could make (while we are closed) that business-wise make sense,” he said.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.