A raging fire, fueled by strong winds, destroyed a large metal shop and assorted outbuildings Saturday on a rural Ceres farm located in the 2800 block of Gondring Road.

Nobody was hurt during the fire, which began sometime before 3 p.m.

Ceres Fire Department responded to the address as the first of 10 agencies to battle the large fire which missed a home on the property. Other departments who assisted included Keyes, Hughson, Denair, Turlock Rural and city, West Stanislaus County, Woodland Avenue, Burbank-Paradise and Mountain View.

Besides the large metal shop the fire consumed a shed, a carport with vehicles and a barn-like metal shop building.
Firefighters had to connect water tenders to water from canals to help douse the flames. In order to get to some of the buildings, firefighters resorted to dragging hose lines more than 600 feet through an almond orchard.

An estimated dollar value of the damage was not available.