Commercial building damaged in fire on Ford Avenue - WTOC

RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WTOC) - A commercial building fire shut down a portion of Ford Avenue near Clark Street in Richmond Hill Friday morning.

According to the Richmond Hill Fire Department, the call came in around 5 a.m. It happened at a strip mall of businesses on Ford Avenue. They say the fire burned completely through the roof of the building. However, they can't deem it a total loss right now because they don't know the extent of damage to the interior.

The fire is out and all lanes of Ford Avenue are back open to traffic. No injuries were reported.

Richmond Hill Fire was assisted by Bryan County Fire & Emergency Services and Chatham Emergency Services.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

For small business owners, this is the last thing you want to wake up and see. Some business owners said they can see straight through their office and many of them are at a loss for words.

Kevin Bowes owns Dynamic Tax. He says his business sustained more water damage than anything.

"It's hard to process hard taken at the exact same time got a post pone my business for a little while," said Bowes.

Bowes was just outside Friday morning doing a notary in the middle of getting all his client's paperwork out of the building.

"I can't shoulda coulda woulda myself I got a press forward my family depends on it."

Jonathan Graham works across the street at Carpet Store Plus. He woke up to a text Friday morning that a building near his was on fire.

"It's very heart touching and very sad. You know, again a small community, a lot of these are small locally owned and operated businesses the owners are local we've seen a lot of the owners come and check out their offices and some already removing some personal belongings," said Graham.

There's been an outpouring of support already for these businesses and Graham says that's no surprise.

"The community is going to come together I'm sure and help out where they can. That's just the way Bryan County Richmond Hill operates."

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