Fire inspectors returned to York on Monday to take a look at what may have sparked the blaze that burned most of a city block.
At this point, fire investigators said they still don't know what sparked the blaze, and there's concern about the stability of the buildings. Five business went up in flames, putting a damper on a retail district already struggling, city leaders said.
"It's really bad for the community because it's a whole city block. And, our downtown has trouble surviving in downtown anyway," said York resident Ronda Rich.
Lichti's Television and Appliance Center was one of the largest retail anchors in downtown York. It burned on Friday when a fire tore through most of a block in the small south-central Nebraska town. The fire started on the second story of the appliance center, but the cause is not believed to be suspicious, investigators said.
But Mayor Greg Adams is pledging to move forward and rebuild.
"We're trying to keep our downtown vital. We've got a lot of money here. We've paid a lot of attention to our downtown. To have this happen is a step backwards," Adams said.
Adams said the town's immediate priority is getting the businesses relocated.
"York's not the type of community that's going to let this get us down. We're going to look at it as the cup is half full. We're going to move forward. We're going to rebuild. We're going to bring retail back down here," the mayor said.
On Monday, some of the business owners removed their belongings, but investigators put the move on hold after they detected structural problems.
"The one west wall has moved has moved a little bit this morning, and we're really getting concerned about it," said fire Chief Kevin Stuhr:
The Eagles Club was preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and the destruction has put in a crimp in its plans.
"Equipment and stuff like that can be replaced. But the memories the pictures and archives -- they're just gone," said the Eagle's Bill Drury.
October 20, 2006: Fire Spreads Through Downtown York
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