Fire leaves extensive damage, demolition likely
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MARTINS FERRY – In the aftermath of Sunday’s early morning blaze, Martins Ferry Mayor Robert Krajnyak said at least five of the seven affected buildings will be demolished, citing safety concerns amid extensive property damage.
He described the matter as a “major loss” for the city.
First responders met a major fire at about 3:30 a.m.; it burned through a row of small businesses along South Fourth Street. The roofs of three of the buildings, including True Value Hardware at 5 S. Fourth St., collapsed. For this reason, the Martins Ferry Volunteer Fire Department kept debris wet overnight Sunday, and members will continue to hose the site throughout the day today. Fire Chief Mike Reese said it’s possible the fallen rooftops may have trapped smoldering material, which could very well spark again.
“The sooner we get them down, the better it’s going to be,” Krajnyak said. “A lot of history gone, though.”
He noted that 1 S. Fourth St., home to Subway restaurant, will likely be repaired. He said the building is newer than the others and, because of a protective firewall, it sustained less damage.
Though Krajnyak could not exactly date the buildings to describe their age, both he and Reese said most of the structures were likely more than 100 years old. Reese said a photo taken in 1916 that hangs in a Martins Ferry firehouse shows the structures active in another day.
Reese said the blaze originated inside Winter’s True Value Hardware before the flames climbed through the structure, caught the roof and spread to five neighboring buildings. Officials with the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s office visited the scene Sunday, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The other affected businesses include the Martins Ferry Flower Shop, Downtown Grill, the O’Diam and Stecker Law Group, New York Life Insurance and Subway. Z’s Jewelry, another nearby property, sustained significant water damage because of the incident but escaped direct harm from the fire.
The buildings are privately owned by different individuals, according to Krajnyak. He said once the owners receive their insurance settlements, they’ll have the necessary funds to demolish the buildings. He said he’d spoken with a few of the business owners and remarked that they are struggling to make sense of an uncertain future.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do to move forward from this, if they can,” Krajnyak said of the business owners. “They’re pretty distraught.”
He said the city will aid business owners however it can. Some of them are longstanding members of the Martins Ferry community, according to Krajnyak. He said the flower shop was in operation for nearly 35 years. True Value Hardware, though it has changed ownership, was open for roughly 60 years.
The mayor said South Fourth Street, between Hanover and Walnut streets, will remain closed for the next few days as residents and the city adjust.