Fire destroys family business in downtown Selmer

SELMER, Tenn. — A fast moving fire rips through a building in downtown Selmer Friday night, gutting a family business.

The blaze raged on for more than an hour sending multiple area fire departments rushing to make sure it didn’t spread through the rest of downtown. They luckily contained it to one building but unfortunately couldn’t save the countless treasures and memories that were inside.

“There’s stuff in there we can’t replace,” Chet Rowland said. “We’ve been real fortunate in finding a lot of old stuff.”

The store called “Vintage Choices” had been a dream for Chet Rowland and his wife.

“She spent everyday, six days a week in that store,” Rowland said. “On her day off, she was looking for new stuff. I know she’s really upset.”

In a matter of minutes on Friday everything they worked so hard for went up in smoke.

“The fire was real big,” Shirley Cupples said. “It was blazing out the top and smoke was coming out the sides.”

Firefighters said the flames and smoke were so intense they called in fire departments from across the area, even from different counties, to keep it under control.

“A fire like this in a downtown district takes every hand we have and a lot of water,” Selmer Fire Department Battalion Chief Darrel Roberts said.

Dozens watched as smoke billowed from the now gutted shop, which had become a downtown institution.

“It’s devastating,” Cupples said. “It’s so sad and especially for the owner.  It’s a terrible thing.”

Although most of the vast collection of antiques inside this store are now ruined residents said no item is worth a life.

“You can replace things, they might not be the same but we’re thankful no one was burned,” Cupples said. “I’m thankful it’s no worse than it is.”

Firefighters said they were able to contain the fire to that one building thanks to a firewall inside.  They said if it wasn’t there the fire could have spread and caused serious damage to the rest of downtown.

The Selmer Fire Department said it’s unsure of what caused the fire but investigators will be out on the scene Saturday to figure that out.