Fire Damages Multiple Buildings in Downtown Shelbyville

Fire damaged a number of buildings in downtown Shelbyville Monday night.

Shelbyville firefighters were called to the 100 block of North Morgan Street at 8:45pm.  Engineer Perk Wilson of the Shelbyville Fire Department believes the fire started in the southernmost of three buildings damaged by the blaze, which are located immediately south of the jail.  Wilson said the building houses a beauty shop below and an apartment above.  The occupant of the apartment got out unharmed.  The three buildings housed a land title company, two beauty shops and a retail establishment.  There were apartments upstairs in the other two fire-damaged buildings, but they are currently unoccupied.

Wilson said three other buildings suffered smoke and water damage.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Photos courtesy of Gaddis Graphics

18 fire companies assisted Shelbyville firefighters, coming from Sigel, Beecher City, Shumway, Stewardson, Strasburg, Windsor, Sullivan, Bethany, Lovington, Findlay, Tower Hill, Pana, Moweaqua, Assumption, Cowden, Oconee and Herrick.  Wilson believes as many as 100 firefighters assisted in fighting the blaze.

At one point, firefighters ran out of water in the city system and had to begin hauling water from Lake Shelbyville.  Wilson said in the neighborhood of 15 tankers were being utilized at one point to fight the fire.

Firefighters finally cleared the scene at 4:30am today.