Tuesday, April 22, 2014

First Person: Danville Fire

There are fires, and there are fires.

An Easter night fire in Danville was among the larger.

BJ's Steak and Ribs on Mill Street burned.  The building goes back to the 1880's.  BJ's has been there since 1982.

A man lost his business.  Employees lost their jobs.  Residents in adjacent apartments were smoked out for a while.  A consignment shop needs extensive cleaning before it re-opens.  People lost a restaurant they liked.
  The story goes beyond the smoke and the flames.    Firefighters kept those flames from spreading down the block.  A woman in an apartment above Abigail's escaped unharmed, but only with the clothes on her back.  Danville lost a business.

Danville has always been one of my favorite places.  The downtown contains some cool old buildings.  There aren't many empty storefronts.  I know having a massive hospital in the backyard doesn't hurt.

Walk around when you get a chance.  How many towns of its size have a cable news operation, two competing and side by side jewelry stores, a skate board shop, a model train shop, plus several bars and restaurants?

Danville seems to be one of those places I visit only when something bad happens.  I sincerely hope that changes in the future.