AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING SPENCER FIRE - Apartments Destroyed In Early Morning Blaze

(02/23/2004)

Former Harris Oil Company building heavily damaged in suspicious fire Owner Don Gill salvaging his woodworking shop Authorities are investigating the cause of an early Sunday morning fire that destroyed two apartments and damaged a woodworking shop in Spencer. No one was injured in the blaze. It was the old Harris Oil Company building, now owned by Spencer businessman Don Gill. The two-story structure is located on West Main Street behind McDonalds and a local car wash. Spencer-Roane firemen return after a rekindle Sunday afternoon Fire started in second floor apartment Fire broke out in one of the apartments shortly before 2:30 a.m., and quickly spread throughout the second story. A passer-by told Roane 911 the building was engulfed as the Spencer-Roane Volunteer Fire Department arrived. "The place was burning pretty good when the fire department got there," said Gill. He said firemen brought the blaze under control rather quickly. Sources at the scene said the resident of the apartment where the fire started had recently been evicted. The tenant of the other apartment was apparently not at home. Gill, who said he owned 31 other rental units, managed to salvage most of his woodworking equipment from the downstairs. "It mostly had some water damage," he said. Firemen were recalled to the structure because of a rekindle at least twice. No estimate of the damage was given.

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