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UPDATE: Rochester Fireworks Store In Flames

Written on July 18, 2013 by Staff Reporter

Categories: Archive 2013, News Archive 2013

Tags: ,

(Photo courtesy of Tabitha Fawley)
(Photo courtesy of Tabitha Fawley)

(Correction: StaceyPageOnline.com has just learned that the second building damaged in the blaze was a storage building, and not an antique store as initially reported to us.)

A large fire at a fireworks store in Rochester caused quite a show last night, even resulting in traffic back-ups along U.S. 31 while motorists stopped to watch the display.

Rochester, Akron and all other Fulton County fire departments were called at about 10 p.m. Wednesday night to Windy City Fireworks, located in the 1400 block of West 18th Street (SR 14), where the building was fully engulfed in flames. Residents said they saw the smoke and glow from the fire as far as 10 miles away. Motorists and trucks lined up along nearby U.S. 31 to watch as the fire burned setting off fireworks that were stored inside.

According to Rochester Fire Chief Tom Butler, who spoke with WROI in Rochester, the fire was extinguished as of 12:57 a.m. Fulton County fire departments were assisted by EMS, the Rochester Police Department and the Fulton County Sheriffs Department on scene.

No injuries were reported, although a few of the fire fighters were examined by EMS as a precaution due to the extreme heat.

A full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The building that contained Windy City Fireworks is a total loss and a second building, now reported to be a storage building, was also heavily damaged. According to WSBT, the owner of Windy City Fireworks also owned a business that, in 2001, was the scene of a deadly explosion in Rochester that killed four people.

According to Fulton County GIS information the owner of the building is Thomas J. Barry of Lemont, Ill.

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