Tuesday fire claims Columbus flower shop
COLUMBUS – Tuesday night, a wood stove fire destroyed the Sweet’s Station Florist shop.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew L. Beckwith said the business caught fire at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, originating from a deteriorating stove pipe.
Fire departments from three different counties – Chenango, Madison and Otsego – responded to the blaze at 6332 State Route 8 in the hamlet of West Edmeston, closing the road for about four and a half hours.
The two-story house used to be the owner’s residence and still had upstairs bedrooms, explained Beckwith. No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
The first West Edmeston firemen on the scene reported the structure heavily involved with flames coming out the building’s front windows. The Pittsfield, Leonardsville, New Berlin and South New Berlin Fire Departments also responded.
Fire investigators later traced the cause to a wood stove in the front section of the flower shop.
“As we understand, it was common practice to stoke up the wood stove at around 5 p.m. before the owners went home for the evening and during the night a deteriorating chimney pipe malfunctioned and started the fire,” said Beckwith.
Beckwith said the fire had burned for a period of time before a passing motorist noticed heavy smoke coming from the building and called 911.
He said responder’s efforts were complicated by the cold weather and lack of a nearby water source.
The New York State Department of Transportation also dispatched plows to the area to help crews reach the scene more quickly and safely.
“Though the second floor remained intact, heat and smoke damage was throughout the structure and the business was a total loss,” said Beckwith.
Shop owner Brenda Stillman said she had insurance to cover some of the damage and wasn’t sure if the three-decade-old business would recover.
She said the shop was filled with poinsettias in preparation for Christmas, typically one of the best times of the year for the florist. Stillman advised customers to contact other florists in the New Berlin area to meet their needs.
“It was a nice quaint, little place and everybody seemed to like my work. I want to say thank you to all the people who’ve come to us over the years,” she said.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew L. Beckwith said the business caught fire at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, originating from a deteriorating stove pipe.
Fire departments from three different counties – Chenango, Madison and Otsego – responded to the blaze at 6332 State Route 8 in the hamlet of West Edmeston, closing the road for about four and a half hours.
The two-story house used to be the owner’s residence and still had upstairs bedrooms, explained Beckwith. No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
The first West Edmeston firemen on the scene reported the structure heavily involved with flames coming out the building’s front windows. The Pittsfield, Leonardsville, New Berlin and South New Berlin Fire Departments also responded.
Fire investigators later traced the cause to a wood stove in the front section of the flower shop.
“As we understand, it was common practice to stoke up the wood stove at around 5 p.m. before the owners went home for the evening and during the night a deteriorating chimney pipe malfunctioned and started the fire,” said Beckwith.
Beckwith said the fire had burned for a period of time before a passing motorist noticed heavy smoke coming from the building and called 911.
He said responder’s efforts were complicated by the cold weather and lack of a nearby water source.
The New York State Department of Transportation also dispatched plows to the area to help crews reach the scene more quickly and safely.
“Though the second floor remained intact, heat and smoke damage was throughout the structure and the business was a total loss,” said Beckwith.
Shop owner Brenda Stillman said she had insurance to cover some of the damage and wasn’t sure if the three-decade-old business would recover.
She said the shop was filled with poinsettias in preparation for Christmas, typically one of the best times of the year for the florist. Stillman advised customers to contact other florists in the New Berlin area to meet their needs.
“It was a nice quaint, little place and everybody seemed to like my work. I want to say thank you to all the people who’ve come to us over the years,” she said.
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