JONESBORO -- City officials will determine if a building that burned late Thursday evening will have to be torn down before reopening a busy street through the heart of Jonesboro's downtown.
City engineers, Fire Department administrators and inspectors met Monday at 411 S. Union St. to inspect the damage caused by the fire that gutted the more than 80-year-old building. Fire broke out in the attic of a loft apartment above Eden Medical Spa and Boutique at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
Fire Chief Kevin Miller said fire marshals have yet to determine the cause of the blaze.
Inspectors can't enter the building because it is not structurally sound, the chief said. The building's roof collapsed early Friday, and there are several beams hanging over the second floor.
"It's not safe going in yet," Miller said. "It was an issue when we were fighting the fire. We had crews go in to knock it down, and then had to retreat when the roof started caving in."
He said once firefighters got out of the burning building, crews conducted a "surround and drown" by pouring thousands of gallons of water on the building's roof with two ladder trucks.
On Monday, Union Street remained closed between Monroe and Washington avenues. Bricks, charred debris and broken glass still littered the sidewalk.
Smoke from the fire forced several buildings, including the Craighead County Courthouse, to close Friday. All but two downtown businesses flanking the Eden Medical Spa and Boutique were open Monday.
A building just south of 411 S. Union St. that houses a tattoo business and an architect's office suffered heavy smoke and water damage.
Freddie Bowers, the owner of that building, said he will talk with insurance agents during the next few days, and he doubts that it will open anytime soon.
The United Way of Northeast Arkansas sat just north or the burned building, and employees there moved to a temporary site. Miller said burning debris from the fire fell onto the roof of the United Way building and damaged it.
"This was a big fire," Miller said. "It will take some time to get it all cleaned up."
State Desk on 08/04/2015