Illegal fireworks may have ignited a fire that caused an estimated $30,000 in damage to a building in downtown Hillsborough on July 4.

A release says remains of bottle rockets were found of the roof of the Gateway Center and in the parking lot between the building and the Eno River Parking Deck. The fire burned a section of the roof measuring 20 fee by 20 feet. The fire was extinguished shortly after 7:30 Monday night.

Firefighters called police around 11 o’clock Monday night to report someone shooting bottle rockets from the top of the parking deck toward the Gateway Center roof, according to officials.

Surveillance footage is being evaluated.

Hillsborough fire marshal and emergency management coordinator Jerry Wager said in a release, “The town sounded like a war zone while we were out there – mostly from West Hillsborough and down US 70-A areas of town.”

The types of fireworks allegedly involved in the incident are illegal in North Carolina.

The fire forced the Orange County Register of Deeds office to close on Tuesday.

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