Press Release 5
March 28, 2008
Burned-out businesses plan futures
Downtown buildings
part of normal inspections
BY BRIAN L.
HUCHEL
DANVILLE — Thursday was
for thinking about the future as
business owners considered their options
following a downtown fire that consumed
two businesses.
Only a shell of the building in the 100
block of North Vermilion Street was
still standing Thursday. A façade torn
off the front of the building gave a
clear view inside.
Fire Deputy Director Bobby Lillard said
originally there were plans to tear down
the building on Thursday. That was put
on hold, however, out of concern the
building could have common walls with
adjoining structures on either side that
could cause problems.
The fire, called in at about 10:15 a.m.
Wednesday, started in Danville Bookworld
and spread to the neighboring Briars and
Brambles, engulfing both businesses.
Firefighters were able to contain the
flames from reaching the Dale building
to the south and the William Burnside
building to the north.
There was no shortage of phone calls
that needed to be made for Jerry and
Suzanne Hobick. Suzanne is owner of
Briars and Brambles.
“We’re in the mode of insurance and
clean up,” Jerry said.
His wife, who still has trouble talking
about the loss of her business, has
already decided to reopen her business
as soon as possible, Jerry said, adding
the owner of the burned building is
mulling over the potential of
rebuilding.
If not, Suzanne still would like to
return to the downtown again, although
Jerry said he was unsure of
availability.
A day later, the couple remained
enamored by the response and help
firefighters gave them at the scene.
“We’re proud of the Danville Fire
Department,” Jerry said.
Local and state fire investigators
wrapped up their investigation into the
blaze by noon Thursday. Lillard said no
cause has been released at this point.
“When you have a building and the roof
collapses, there’s a lot of debris and
it is a little more difficult to find
cause and origin,” Lillard said.
Danville Bookworld owner Richard
Garrison said on Wednesday he was told
the origin of the fire may be
electrical.
While Garrison plans to operate part of
his business out of his home, William C.
Burnside Co. found a temporary home with
another business.
Vice President Bruce Lindahl said the
company was operating Thursday out of
Digital Communications along Lynch Road
the same day.
“In our business you have to be ready
for these things,” he said.
Lindahl expected to return to the
Burnside building by next week.
This is the second building in downtown
Danville claimed by fire in two years.
Fire consumed Chittick’s Family Eye
Care’s building on Aug. 26, 2006,
leaving a vacant lot where the business
once stood at 159 N. Vermilion St.
The city’s Department of Public
Development conducted inspections of the
downtown buildings in 2006 and 2007.
Rodney Buckham, code enforcement
manager, said for the most part the
older buildings and items such as wiring
inside are in pretty good shape.
“But anything can happen,” he added.
A number of the buildings are lacking
fire alarms because many are not
required to have them. Buckham said
other than installing alarms in the
basement, the systems are usually
non-existent because of factors like the
size of the building and the type of
business located there.
City inspections initially focus on
structural concerns, but then spread out
to other areas. John Heckler, director
of public development, said the
inspections cover building codes as well
as exit lights and blocked doors.
Danville’s downtown structures aren’t
seeing any more problems than can be
found in Champaign or Decatur, he said.
“With age comes the potential for
buildings to lose some of their
resilience,” Heckler said.
“Some times things happen that as the
owner you’re not aware of — a fuse box
needs updates, a door blocked,” he said.
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