OXFORD, N.C. (WNCN) — A Monday morning fire destroyed two businesses in historic downtown Oxford.
Fire crews were called to Williamsboro Street just before 8:30 a.m. They weren’t able to put out the fire until after 10:30 a.m. The Oxford Fire Department was working on containing hot spots until 4 p.m.
No one was injured, and no one was inside the building.
Now the hard work begins to figure out what happened, and what happens next.
Debris pokes out of the now glass-less windows. The charred roof is now caved in.
The brick building in the middle of Downtown Oxford was built in 1901.
It’s been home to Farrer Jewelers, and for the past three years, to Amanda Wright’s dream wellness center, The Healing Haven.
“I just see that my baby is gone. That’s all I see,” she said. “It was quite literally the best decision I’ve made.”
Wright said she got several calls Monday morning, telling her that her building had burst into flames.
“We’re revitalizing downtown. We’re trying to grow,” said Oxford City Commissioner John Tovey. “This is devastating for Oxford, it really is.”
When Wright got into town, she sat and watched Oxford, Antioch, and other fire departments, battle the fire for more than two hours.
“The smoke was just…it was almost blinding. You couldn’t see past the smoke,” said Alyssa Blair, the Director of Downtown Economic Development.
“I don’t even know what I’m going to do from this day forward, to be honest,” added Wright. “This is my bread and butter.”
As investigators begin to dig through the rubble, to figure out how the fire started, the community is determined to come together.
“We’re doing everything we can to really rally behind them. We’re looking for temproary locations so that [these business] owners can continue through for the holiday shopping season.”
“It’s literally overwhelming. It’s just overwhelming,” said Wright. “I love Oxford.”
Fire officials told CBS17 the fire and damage was mostly contained to the building that housed Farrer Jewelers and The Healing Haven, and that the flames did not spread to the other buildings on the block.