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Square Fire Claims Three Buildings
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When Eric Fortney opened 3 Brothers Deli and Restaurant in November, he never thought this would happen.
On Saturday, Fortney stood and watched his dream go up in flames as three building a block off the Public Square burned.
“It’s a new business and I put my life and soul into this,” Fortney said.
The fire started shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday morning in apparently the Music City Medical Supply building on West Main Street. The fire quickly spread throughout the building and likely into the neighboring buildings, 3 Brothers Deli and a music store.
Murfreesboro City Fire Marshall Ken Honeycutt said the cause of the fire is yet unknown and the Murfreesboro Fire Department must wait until the buildings can be inspected for safety by the city codes department before even entering.
Honeycutt said the medical supply building is a total loss. The roof collapsed in on the 100-year-old building and possibly damaged both 3 Brothers and the music store.
The fire department had 30 firefighters on hand with four engine companies and one elevated platform truck. The department battled the blaze for more than two hours Saturday afternoon before getting the fire under control.
At one point firefighters and Murfreesboro Police officers evacuated the area in fear oxygen tanks in the medical store may explode.
Honeycutt said old buildings, like these, were constructed with heavy timber, which makes them difficult to fight. He would like to see more sprinkler systems in the buildings to prevent large fires like this.
“To avoid this you’d have to go back and retrofit these buildings or you take chances like this,” he said.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com
Articale provided by Murfreesboro Post. www.murfreesboropost.com
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