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A 1969 Pontiac Firebird racecar was destroyed in a garage fire after its California owner had spent six years restoring the car.

 According to a report in the Santa Rosa Democrat newspaper, Sid Siderakis of Ukiah was filling the car with gas at 12:45 a.m. June 18 when he slipped off the crate he was standing on. A wrench landed on the battery, causing a spark and igniting the gasoline vapors.

The building was destroyed, according to the newspaper report, along with the racing Firebird into which Siderakis said he had sunk about $120,000 and six years into.  Siderakis narrowly escaped uninjured.