What is left of the backside of the Mitchell Glass building sits burned and still smoldering on the morning of Friday, Dec. 2. (Cory Spiers/Staff)
A structure fire on Thursday, Dec. 1 ripped through Mitchell Glass and left smoke billowing into the cold air even into the morning of Friday, Dec. 2.
The fire broke out in the building at 34 Cabin Road just after 8 p.m. on Dec. 1, sending a swarm of emergency first responders to the intersection of Cabin Road and Beaver Creek Road.
Crews fought the fire and EMS officials remained onsite. Police and sheriff’s office patrol cars also blocked Beaver Creek Road, which remained closed well into the wee hours of the morning of Dec. 2.
Owner Karen Sullins Ramsey posted a live video of the fire to Facebook, which generated hundreds of comments, mostly from friends and family who posted sympathetic thoughts. As of Friday, Dec. 2, the video had been viewed more than 8,400 times.
“Mitchell Glass is burning down,” Sullins Ramsey can be heard saying in the video. “Pray for us. This is our work. It’s burning down.”
Officials are investigating the cause of the fire and are working to estimate the total damages, however, Sullins Ramsey can be heard in the live video saying that the fire seemed to have started near the top of the building.
Shortly into Sullins Ramsey’s live video, a loud bang can be heard. She pans the camera to Highway 19E where two cars got into an accident.
Spruce Pine Fire and Rescue, along with multiple mutual aid units, worked through the night to control and eventually extinguish the blaze.
“We keep the business owners in our thoughts and thank everyone that assisted,” the department posted on Facebook on Friday, Dec. 2.