Local

Intense fire destroys local business

A firefighter is recovering from injuries after a fire destroyed a downtown Douglasville store early Tuesday morning.

Town and Country Fabric and Upholstery burned from the basement all the way through the top of the second story.

Police say the store is most likely a total loss.

The building that burned down and others that surround it date back to the early 1900’s. The old construction and combustible fabric, upholstery supplies and furniture made the fire difficult to put out.

“When they got here, the flames were bad. The division chief thought the floor might collapse, and sure enough it did. This is a historic building with old wooden floors,” said Douglas County communications director Wes Tallon.

Police helped block the railroad tracks while fire crews attacked the flames.  Seven hours after the fire started, the floor supports were still smoldering.

Tamika Robinson owns a hair salon next door. She told Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer that she’s worried about her own business now.
“A lot of water damage, a lot of smoke damage. Lots of my equipment is saturated … I’m a bit overwhelmed. I’m concerned about my clients,” Robinson said.

She hopes insurance coverage and quick repairs will help get her business back open soon.

“We were here for three hours straight, and everything was fine. Now all of a sudden, everything is all collapsed, but I know everything will be okay. I just have to trust the Lord that he’s going to take care of everything,” she said.