ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 1996 TAG: 9609170079
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN
The owner of a building holding four businesses that burned down over the weekend confirmed Monday that he intends to put it right back up.
"We'll rebuild as fast as we can get it cleaned out and get drawings done," said Calvin Powers. His Powers Fence Co., which also has stores in Roanoke and Lynchburg, was one of the businesses in the building.
It also contained a Schewel Furniture store, The Carpet Shop, and Tax Service, all of which Powers hopes to keep when he rebuilds.
The fire Saturday required five fire companies to bring it under control and keep it from spreading. Smoke still hovered over the collapsed roof Monday, and rain prevented workers from cleaning up. It also prevented any progress in discovering what caused the fire, Powers said.
He had no more precise damage estimate than the $1.5 million to $2 million figure he gave Saturday.
Fairlawn Fire Chief Bud Trigg said he had turned the matter over to the Pulaski County fire investigator's office. The fact that the building was still smoking Monday could mean there is still actually some fire under the rubble, he said.
The front of the building, facing U.S. 11 just outside Radford, is the main part still standing.
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON\Staff. Smoke hovering over the collapsedby CNBroof Monday prevented any progress in discovering what caused a fire
in Fairlawn.