By Associated Press
Athens AL – A fire destroyed a former furniture store in downtown Athens Monday afternoon.
The building used to house the Butler Furniture store on West Market Street but was being used by the business as a warehouse.
Athens Fire Chief Cliff Christopher said the fire was called in around 3:45 p.m. and was under control by about 4:45 p.m., The Huntsville Times reported.
Christopher said the furniture inside fed the flames, causing smoke to billow out. He said that was a cause for worry because of the nearby Athens-Limestone Hospital.
"I was concerned about the smoke affecting the hospital and surrounding medical facilities," he said. "There was a lot of intense smoke and heat."
Christopher said no injuries were reported and the fire's cause was being investigated.
___
Information from: The Huntsville Times, http://www.al.com/hsvtimes/hsv.html