MERIWETHER COUNTY, GA (WTVM) -
Two days after the historic
Manchester Mill was destroyed by fire, the rubble is still smoldering.
Firefighters said they expect the hot spots to continue for the next few days.
In the meantime business owner
Barbara Smenner, who rents a space inside the mill for The Village Arts Gallery
and Studio, said her business sustained minor smoke and water damage.
Another nearby business called The
Deli, owned and operated by Kelly Young, sits very close to the mill but wasn't
touched.
Now, Smenner is picking up the
pieces trying to clean out the messy materials damaged during the fire.
When they both learned the fire was
deliberately set, they were in shock.
"That person doesn't realize
how many people were hurt by this, but that's okay, we're going to get
through," recalled Smenner.
"It would have been horrible
had anyone gotten hurt and it was a real possibility as I understand it two of
the firefighters who responded early on almost had a wall cave in on them where
the fire was already engulfed," stated Young.
The historic building was built 103
years ago and was in the process of being demolished.
The State Insurance and Fire
Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is now asking anyone with information about the fire
to call the arson hotline at 1-800-282-5804.
A $10,000 reward is also being
offered for any with information leading to an arrest and conviction of a
suspect.
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