By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
City of Burlington Fire Chief Perry Howard said Tuesday that he is waiting on state investigators before announcing the cause of the April 5 fire at Schuette-Daniels Furniture Store.
Howard said he expected a final report by today. Foul play or a criminal cause appeared to have been ruled out last week.
The five-alarm fire drew 25 different area departments in to fight the blaze, and caused more than $1 million in damage.
As of Tuesday, the majority of the inventory in the basement and first floor of the showroom had been cleared out. However, owner Matt Daniels said that to continue the work, they were awaiting clearance for asbestos abatement.
The furniture store covers three different addresses in downtown Burlington, with the fire apparently contained to the 417 building, according to Howard. The damage to the other two addresses – and to the Flippy’s restaurant business next door and the apartments above it – comes from smoke and water damage.
Five families were displaced from those apartments, with the Transitional Living Center working to find them temporary quarters. Love Inc. is helping with immediate needs such as food and clothing.
Howard confirmed Tuesday that the original call about the fire did not come in from a member of the Daniels’ family. Instead, it came from a passerby.
Companies fought the fire from 9:35 p.m. until early the next morning, with fire fighters finally getting released starting at about 3 a.m.
Howard said that the firefighting efforts kept the blaze from being much worse.
“The firefighters did an exceptional job,” said Howard, both from the standpoint of the initial attack of the fire and then going to a defensive mode.
The help from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (or MABAS) helped as well.
“We can’t do this alone – a fire of this magnitude,” Howard said.
Eric Daniels said Tuesday that nothing was salvageable from the store, in terms of inventory.
“Everything stinks,” said Eric Daniels.
Matt Daniels said the family, though, was handling the situation well.
“We’re doing fine,” he explained. “Taking it a day at a time. Wading through all the decisions that have to be made.”
-
-
-
-
-