Story Published:
Jul 13, 2008 at 10:14 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jul 15, 2008 at 10:15 AM CST
Editor's note: this report was revised after more information was received about the building that burned. The Robertson Block Building did not burn, as previously reported, but is next door to the store that burned..
MARSHFIELD, Mo. -- Fire investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed the Community Thrift Store near the northeast corner of the square on Sunday afternoon. The next-door Robertson Block Building, which has six second-story apartments, suffered smoke and water damage.
At about 2:15 Sunday afternoon, firefighters got the report of a fire, possibly in a trash bin, in the alley east of the store, between the store and Cecil's Engine Service, which are both on East Jefferson.
Several fire departments, including Elkland, Southern Webster County, Niangua, Strafford, Logan-Rogersville, Ebenezer and Lebanon, assisted Marshfield firefighters in getting the fire under control. It destroyed the thrift store and caused smoke damage to the Robertson Block Building west of the store. That building has the Webster County Victim's Assistance office and six apartments.
"A little after 2, there was a knock at our door," said fire victim Beth Clemons. "We had a neighbor that lived back behind us that was aware of the flames and let us know."
The city fire marshal says a small space between the store and the Robertson Block Building, as well as a lot of water, kept flames from getting to the apartments but they do have smoke and water damage.
Fire crews used a backhoe late Sunday night to knock down exterior walls of the thrift store in order to get to smoldering piles of clothes inside.
The American Red Cross helped the displaced residents of the Robertson Block Building find a place to stay.
