Fitzgerald flower shop, building destroyed in fire

Fitzgerald said he awoke the occupants of the two other apartments above the shop and got them, and his two small dogs, out of the building. One cat was not rescued.

Franklin firefighters responded to “heavy, heavy black smoke” coming out of the building at 4:50 a.m. Firefighters from several other nearby department also responded, and by 9 a.m. they were waiting for the insurance company and a wrecking crew, said Franklin fire Chief Jonathan Westendorf.

Westendorf said the support of the structure was damaged in the blaze and was bowing out of the building.

“It may be safer to bring the building down,” he said. Support could also be built around the building, he said, adding the insurance company and owner will make the decision.

As Fitzgerald sat across from the building he’s owned his flower shop in for 30 years, he said he hopes the building can be saved.

“I tried to salvage the building over the years because it was built in the 1890s,” Fitzgerald said, between cell phone calls from people in the community and others who showed up on scene to wish him well.

“I put a lot of myself in the building, both mentally, physically and financially. I hope we can salvage whatever we can salvage out of structure, but the main thing is everyone got out and no firefighters got hurt. I kept thinking about that,” said Fitzgerald, 67, who was a former president of the Franklin Area Historical Society and past vice mayor of the city.

“I’ll rebuild if they let me, if not I’ll start one someplace. I started this one,” he said of his shop, where he employs four people.

Westendorf said the fire was extensive because of the age of the building and lack of fire stops.

When firefighters arrived, they entered the building but could not see flames because the fire was either between the floors or in the walls, Westendorf said. “Basically, pretty fast moving fire,” he said.

Westendorf said the flower floor shop was damaged by water, with 3,000 to 5,000 gallons a minute of water being sprayed on the building since about 4:50 a.m.