South Carolina ? Passing motorists and a store worker frantically called authorities about a fire behind a furniture store the night nine firefighters died inside, according to 911 tapes and transcripts released Thursday. An employee said the area was where workers took smoking breaks.

While federal investigators probing the blaze have not confirmed where the Monday fire started, recordings of some of the 10 calls bolster what several city officials have said: The fire apparently started at the back of the store in a covered space between the showroom and a warehouse full of furniture.

The area, described as “a deck” by workers at the Sofa Super Store, housed a trash bin that was used by workers when they checked the condition of furniture before it was shipped to customers. It also was used to store old sofas, mattresses and chairs before they were picked up for disposal – and by employees on their smoke breaks, store worker Sylvester Washington said.