Three hospitalised after Vic workshop fire

Three workers have been hospitalised for smoke inhalation following a blaze at an east Melbourne crash repair shop.

Emergency services were called to the fire - believed to have started in an oven used to cure freshly painted panels - just before 8.30am on Thursday and managed to prevent it spreading to a nearby room containing a large quantity of highly flammable paint.

The workers were taken to Maroondah Hospital for treatment, while damage to the business is estimated at $200,000.