Three buildings in historic downtown Statesville were damaged by fire early Tuesday morning, with roofs collapsing on at least two buildings.
The buildings that house GG’s Art Frames Gifts, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, and Theatre Statesville were damaged, according to an email from the Downtown Statesville Development Corporation. Neighboring buildings sustained smoke and water damages, the city said in a news release.
There were no injuries reported, fire officials said, and none of the buildings were occupied at the time of the fire.
The fire was initially spotted by firefighters from Station 1, who were responding to a separate call and saw smoke coming from the downtown area. They checked out the source and saw flames and heavy smoke coming from buildings at the corner of West Broad and South Center streets.
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Statesville firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after 2 a.m. Firefighters were still on the scene at 11 a.m. Statesville Deputy Fire Chief Glenn Kurfees anticipated that crews would be working there for the remainder of the day.
“We’ll be out here most of the day into the evening to make sure that it’s safe,” Kurfees said. “Make sure all the hotspots are out. Depending on how things go today, we might be out here through the night to monitor and make sure that nothing starts back.”
Kurfees said the cause of the fire had not been determined as of 9 a.m. Kurfees said he did not know where the fire originated or how long the fire was burning before firefighters arrived.
By 4:30 p.m. there still was no determination of the cause of the fire. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by various agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Office of the State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), and the Statesville fire marshal. Given the extent of the damage and the size of the buildings, the investigation is expected to be lengthy, and the public is advised to avoid the area if possible, the city said in a news release.
The fire was considered controlled around 5:30 a.m. Firefighters are continuing to monitor for hot spots, Kurfees said. Firefighters are working from outside of the buildings because the roofs collapsed, Kurfees added.
Around one dozen fire departments responded to fight the blaze. The Statesville Police Department and Iredell County EMS were also at the scene.
Kurfees said at least 75 fire personnel were working to put out the fire Tuesday morning.
The City of Statesville and the Statesville Fire Department expressed its gratitude to the numerous agencies that provided assistance during the firefighting efforts, including the Mooresville Fire Department, Hickory Fire Department, Mocksville Fire Department, Troutman Fire Department, Harmony Volunteer Fire Department, South Iredell Volunteer Fire Department, Monticello Volunteer Fire Department, Statesville Police Department, Iredell County Emergency Management, and Iredell County Fire Marshal’s Office, as well as other standby agencies. The support from the community has also been overwhelming, with many citizens dropping off food, beverages, and words of encouragement to the fire personnel on the scene. This incident has truly highlighted the spirit of togetherness in Statesville, “Where It All Comes Together,” the news release from Tuesday afternoon said.
GG’s Art Frames Gifts is located at 101 W. Broad St. The shop’s owner Gloria Hager, 77, was among a small group of people gathered at outdoor tables to watch the firefighters work. Hager said she had been there since 4:30 a.m.
“Everything’s a total loss.” Hager said. She added that the ceilings and floors of her shop were caved in.
This is the second fire to displace GG’s Art Frames Gifts. On the same day eight years ago, GG’s Art Frames Gifts caught fire when an elevator motor malfunctioned, according to a previous Statesville Record & Landmark article.
“I’ve sort of been in shock,” Hager said. “Now, I’m starting to thaw out and worry about all the things that were inside the shop, the artwork and frames that belonged to other people.”
Hager said she has been in business for 56 years.
The morning air was cold and breezy. Emily Noland, co-owner of The Vanilla Bean Bakery and Coffee Shop, was handing out free hot chocolate, coffee and water to help bystanders and emergency personnel warm up.
Noland’s store is at the intersection of West Broad Street and North Meeting Street, about one block away from the fire.
“We hurt for them (the shops affected by the fire),” Noland said. “We are glad everybody’s OK. Glad that if it had to happen, it happened when nobody was open. We’ve been here such a short time, but (the other business owners) are like family already.”
Noland opened her shop in October.
“Our prayers are with everybody,” Noland said. “We’ll be here to help however we can.”