The Missing Piece in Walls Complex Shopping Center gutted by fire
State investigators are searching for the cause of a fire that destroyed a Clarkesville business. The blaze broke out just before midnight Saturday at The Missing Piece located at 199 Walls Complex Circle off of Highway 197 South.
Clarkesville Fire Chief Jerry Palmer says crews were called to the scene at 11:47 p.m. With winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph, crews had a tough time getting the blaze under control. “Initially they went in to offensively fight the fire,” he says, “but due to the winds, crews were forced to retreat to a defensive position.”
High winds pushed the fire through the complex and caused it to flare back up several times. “Wind-driven fire is one of the most dangerous you can run into,” explains Palmer. “After a short period of time we regrouped and made a different plan and proceeded with another offensive attack. This time,” he says, “the crews were able to stop the fire and keep it from spreading to the adjoining unit which was heavily damaged by smoke and water.”
“The public should be very proud this morning of the men and women who were there last night. They did an excellent job.” ~ Clarkesville Fire Chief Jerry Palmer
Clarkesville firefighters were joined by firefighters from Habersham County and Demorest on the initial response. They issued a second alarm for additional personnel from Lee Arrendale State Prison.
Clarkesville Police, the Habersham Sheriff’s Department and Habersham EMS also responded to the call.
In all, it took an hour and a half and 31 personnel to extinguish the flames.
“It was certainly an impressive stop by these crews and saved the majority of the complex which, in turn, saved jobs,” Chief Palmer says. “It really was a privilege to command this fire group. I felt like I had a front row seat to watch these crews put this fire out with really nothing more than raw determination and skill. They faced nasty conditions. The public should be very proud this morning of the men and women who were there last night. They did an excellent job.”
Approximately 2,500 square feet of the 17,000 square foot complex was damaged or destroyed.
The following message was posted to the Missing Piece Facebook page Sunday:
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is handling the investigation since it was a commercial property. Palmer says preliminary findings do not point to anything suspicious.
