Headlines News

Cabinet shop destroyed by fire

3 fire departments respond

Smoke billows from attic of local cabinet shop.

By JOSH FRYE
News Staff Writer

Fire, smoke and water damage combined to make a local cabinet shop a total loss after flames erupted in the building’s attic during the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 4.
Reports show that Atmore, Poarch and Nokomis firefighting crews were dispatched to Hochstetler Cabinets, 2244 Jack Springs Road at 7:55 a.m.
As crews arrived on the scene, they found smoke rising from the roof of the Hochstetler workshop, which fronts Jack Springs Road, forcing Poarch and Atmore police departments to shut down both lanes of traffic on Jack Springs Road for more than an hour and half.
According to Hochstetler Cabinets owner Jim Hochstetler, the blaze started when a recoiling power cable used to power common work tools in the shop, shorted out and caught fire.
Hochstetler said he was yards away from the building at the time of the fire and was able to quickly summon emergency crews.
“Despite the quick response from fire and emergency personnel, the building was a total loss,” Hochstetler said. “The fire was pretty much contained to the roof portion of the building, but water and smoke damage ruined pretty much everything inside, which included numerous tools and projects that were under way.
“We are just working on putting things back together now so we can carry on.”
Emergency crews spent about two hours on the scene working the blaze.