Extent of downtown Shelby fire damage updated
By David Jacobs
A fire in a downtown Shelby building earlier this week caused an estimated $150,000 in structural damage and $30,000 in lost contents, the city’s fire chief reports.
Shelby Fire Chief Mike Thompson on Thursday confirmed that the building at 54 E. Main St. cannot be repaired due to the extent of the damage.
The fire, which started Wednesday afternoon, originated in the area of an electric heater. The fire department was told that it had been turned on about 30 minutes before the blaze to prevent pipes from freezing.
While the electric heater is considered a "possible ignition source," the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, Thompson said.
The original 911 call came from 46 E. Main St., the Eagles Club, Thompson reported Thursday. (No damage was reported at the Eagles Club building).
As firefighters arrived, the 54 E. Main St structure was unoccupied and was used for the storage of construction materials, Thompson has said.
A newly remodeled apartment was upstairs and an event room was downstairs, he said.
Firefighters battled the blaze for over four hours in frigid conditions, with temperatures at 8 degrees and wind chills of -9. Equipment freezing and icy conditions posed additional challenges, and crews eventually used a backhoe to tear down much of the structure to extinguish hidden flames.
The two-story building, which was unoccupied at the time, was being remodeled to become the Shelby HUB, a performance and event venue.
The fire marks another loss for Shelby’s downtown, following a 2023 fire that destroyed a nearby Main Street building that was later demolished.