January 7, 1973

Extensive smoke damage at stores in Greenwood Center

       Separate fires in the Greenwood area resulted in extensive smoke damage to several stores in the Greenwood Center and minor damage to a Johnson-Marion County Line Road service station during the weekend. Twenty-four volunteer firemen and six units from Greenwood contained the dangerous blaze in the Greenwood Center around noon Saturday. Firemen reported the scene after a blaze broke out in a service hallway, used as an interior storage area for a number of business located in a south section of the center near Loriston’s furniture and Vonegut’s hardware store. Fire investigators said the blaze started in a hallway where trash had been piled up against one wall, opposite merchandise stored for later display. The blaze began around noon and was finally contained shortly before 3 p.m. when the last unit returned to Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department Headquarters. One firemen at the scene said that “the entire section would have been gone in another three minutes.” Fire authorities said smoke from the blaze caused smoke damage to Schiff’s shoe store, a lamp and lighting store, Goodman’s Jewelers, IRC music shop, World Bazaar import shop, Levinson’s men’s wear and Bed and Bath retail store. The fire occurred in the service hallway behind Schiff’s shoes, fire authorities said. Firemen got the blaze under control around 1 p.m., however several units remained at the scene until the smoldering blaze was completely extinguished. The blaze could have resulted in the center’s second major fire within a year. Last year, an early dawn blaze destroyed the Flaming Hearth restaurant and caused heavy smoke damage to an adjacent women’s apparel shop. Shortly before midnight Saturday, three units from the White River Township Volunteer Fire Department assisted in containing the blaze at a Gulf service station at State Road 135 and the Johnson-Marion County Line Road. Two units from Perry Township Fire Department also battled the blaze which started in a storage area, according to fire authorities. It estimated that the fire at the service station resulted in a $500 worth of damages.                                                                         (Reprinted with permission of the Daily Journal)

 

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