Investigators are working to figure out what caused a large fire that destroyed a florist’s warehouse in Cobb County. The fire also shut down a major road for hours.
Channel 2 Action News This Morning brought you to the scene of this breaking news on Veterans Memorial Highway in Austell.
Channel 2’s Bryan Mims spoke with the owners about their heartbreaking loss.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Frank and Lori Duncan have owned Silk World, Inc. for 20 years.
Holding hands, the husband and wife crossed a five-lane road with no traffic but jammed with fire trucks. In the glow of flashing red, they looked on – quietly and with a cell phone upraised – to see that all the flowers were gone.
Alicia Cagle, manager of the Efficiency Lodge across the road, saw the fire and called 911.
“I stepped out in the parking lot and on the back side of the building, the flames were above the tree,” Cagle told Mims.
TRENDING STORIES
- 13-year-old, man killed after someone opens fire on home while kids were having a sleepover
- Teen had ‘weird feeling’ before boat explosion that burned 80% of his body
Austell firefighters were the first to show up.
“When our crews arrived, there was a heavy fire involvement to the rear of the building. Our crews immediately called for assistance from Cobb County,” said Kenneth Strong, deputy chief of Austell Fire and Emergency Services.
Cobb County sent 20 trucks to the fire. The building’s roof collapsed; its warehouse crumbled to the ground.
By daylight, sooty silk flowers lay against the charred rubble. Frank and Lori Duncan were in no mind to speak on camera.
But they told Mims that they sold silk flower arrangements for weddings, funerals and cemeteries. They’ve owned the business for 20 or so years.
What could have set off this fire? They say they have no idea. Everybody is just thankful nobody was hurt.
The Duncans say they will rebuild eventually.
©2026 Cox Media Group
