Fire destroys part of building

November 23, 2010

Demolished building on Patterson St. (Photo by J Swygart)

    An addition to a business building on Patterson St. in Industrial Park was demolished as firefighters extinguished a blaze late Sunday night.
    However, the two businesses located in the main portion of the building — Sportsman's Lodge and Haugk Companies — are operating as usual, with no damage, Decatur Assistant Fire Chief Jim Hitchcock said this morning.
    Hitchcock said workers in the addition were cutting iron with a torch on Sunday afternoon and a spark started a fire which was unnoticed by the workers when they left.
    The fire smoldered and grew until the fire department was called out at 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
    Firefighters, assisted by members of the Preble Fire Department, were at the scene until 4 a.m. Monday.
     Hitchcock said it might cost some $15,000 to replace the addition.