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SHAWNEE, Okla. —
Fire destroyed a downtown Main Street business in Shawnee early Thursday morning, but firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to two other adjacent buildings.
LoCo’s, an antique and collectibles business at 107 E. Main, is a complete loss, fire officials said.
LoCo’s owner Lori West, who said she has owned and operated the business since October of last year, said she was notified at 1 a.m. and asked to come to the store with her keys to open the doors. “I could see it from five blocks away,” she said, as she continued to watch firefighters pour water to the destroyed building.
“I was in shock. The smoke was so thick I could hardly breathe,” West remarked. “I went to the back alley and could see the flames through the open door and then I knew it wasn’t going to make it.”
At 6 a.m. Shawnee firefighters were continuing to pour water from atop and on the south side of the building.
Twenty Shawnee firefighters with six units, five firemen from Tecumseh with an aerial ladder truck battled the early morning blaze while Bethel firemen responded by going and staying at Shawnee station No. 1 in Shawnee.
Shawnee Fire Chief Jimmy Gibson said Pott County Book and Office Supply and Sense of Charm, businesses adjacent to LoCo’s on the east and west sides respectively, received some water and possible smoke damage. “They have done a good job limiting the fire to the business of origin,” he said.
Fire destroyed a downtown Main Street business in Shawnee early Thursday morning, but firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to two other adjacent buildings.
LoCo’s, an antique and collectibles business at 107 E. Main, is a complete loss, fire officials said.
LoCo’s owner Lori West, who said she has owned and operated the business since October of last year, said she was notified at 1 a.m. and asked to come to the store with her keys to open the doors. “I could see it from five blocks away,” she said, as she continued to watch firefighters pour water to the destroyed building.
“I was in shock. The smoke was so thick I could hardly breathe,” West remarked. “I went to the back alley and could see the flames through the open door and then I knew it wasn’t going to make it.”
At 6 a.m. Shawnee firefighters were continuing to pour water from atop and on the south side of the building.
Twenty Shawnee firefighters with six units, five firemen from Tecumseh with an aerial ladder truck battled the early morning blaze while Bethel firemen responded by going and staying at Shawnee station No. 1 in Shawnee.
Shawnee Fire Chief Jimmy Gibson said Pott County Book and Office Supply and Sense of Charm, businesses adjacent to LoCo’s on the east and west sides respectively, received some water and possible smoke damage. “They have done a good job limiting the fire to the business of origin,” he said.
