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Downtown building in ruins
By Bill Hankins
The Paris News
Published June 30, 2008
A swiftly spreading fire in downtown Paris destroyed one building and seriously damaged two others early Sunday.
One fireman was injured when hit by flying debris in an explosion that rocked the area and broke windows in buildings nearby and across the street.
He was treated at Paris Regional Medical Center, and his injuries were not deemed serious.
More than 36 firemen responded to the fire alarm at 5:14 a.m. Sunday.
“When they arrived, the fire was really involved, with flames already burning out the windows and doors,” Fire Marshal Vance Woodard said. “Shortly after firefighters got there, a portion of the building collapsed on the west end.”
Woodard said a small explosion leveled the building at 136 Bonham St.
“It likely was caused by a backdraft when gases from the fire are trapped, then explode,” Woodard said. “The blast sent bricks and other debris into the street, breaking windows in buildings across Bonham in the old Rodgers and Wade Building and Texas Spud Shop.”
Residents of apartments in the loft of one of the damaged buildings were awakened by fire alarms and escaped the flames.
Residents in three other apartments were not home at the time of the fire.
“We were very fortunate to stop the fire,” Woodard said. “The collapsing of the building probably helped to stop the fire from spreading to the east. It brought that building down to the street level and gave firefighters a better chance to control the flames.”
Woodard said the two buildings in the same block were heavily damaged, with structural damage to the walls.
“Cause of the fire is still under investigation, and an amount of damage still is undetermined,” Woodard said. “I do know the collapsed building had $100,000 in insurance.”
Woodard said one confusing aspect of the fire is ownership of the building.
“There are two buildings listed as being 136 Bonham St., with two different owners,” he said. “I am still trying to sort that one out.”
Woodard said a portion of the buildings were being used for storage, and total contents of that storage is undetermined at this time.
“I still have to sort out the possibility of weather related causes or electrical causes before looking at other possible causes of the fire,” he said.
Some nearby streets were still blocked off Monday morning as the search of the rubble continued.
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