If one picture could tell a story, this would be it. The eastern exposure of Country Hill Gifts with its second-story flower box completely unharmed by a fully involved fire that destroyed the former grocery store building at the corner of Ellicott Street Road and West Park Street. There's no real damage to the entire eastern exposure.
And the building to the north of the destroyed building is also fine.
Chad Freeman said today once the fire started, it was largely fought defensively with a mind toward saving the neighboring structures.
The cause was likely electrical with a line arcing, causing insulation in the second floor ceiling to smoke and burn until air hit it, giving fuel to the fire.
Freeman noted that the first floor was almost completely undamaged by the fire. The building was too heavily damaged, however, and last night an excavator had to knock it down.
This afternoon, crews were on scene to pump water from the basement of Country Hill, but there was even very little smell of smoke in the store.
The two items below were posted to the Pavilion, New York Facebook page by Jay Brooks. A bit of the store's history.
