Ken Brock had gotten off of work at Alcoa Davenport Works and was heading to his 14th Street home in Silvis on Monday when, on the highway, he noticed smoke in the air and in his car.
“It was burning my eyes,” Brock said. “And when I got home to take a shower, there was no water pressure.”
That was at about 3:40 p.m., when the mother of his girlfriend, Debbie Trich, called to tell them that a Silvis landmark, Anchor Lumber Co. at 1505 1st Ave., was burning.
“I’ve lived here or in East Moline all my life,” Brock, 46, said, as he, Trich and hundreds of other Quad-Citians, watched the flames from the fire consume the front section of the downtown Silvis building.
“I’ve spent a lot of time and money in there,” he said. “That’s a piece of Silvis history going up.”
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Silvis City Administrator Jim Grafton was at the scene when the fire broke out and called 911 shortly after 3 p.m.
“It started in the sign above the foyer where you walk in the front doors,” Grafton said. “At first there was smoke and then flames.
“The flames worked their way down the wooden sign and then the wind, which was coming out of the west, got it and took it under the roof,” he added.
Grafton said the building had been there, “better than 50 years.”
The flames burned for hours and the smoke produced by the blaze could be seen from just about every point in the Quad-Cities.
Firefighters in a tower truck poured water down on the burning building, on which the roof had collapsed. Firefighters on the ground battled flames wherever they popped up along the perimeter of the building.
Silvis Fire Chief David Leibovitz said a firewall preventing the flames from reaching other areas of the structure was doing its job. The fire was in the lawn and garden section. However, water pressure was a problem.
Fire trucks from a dozen Illinois Quad-City area departments hauled in water to fight the fire, which was still burning four hours after the first call came in.
“I was right here when it started,” said Connie Stouffer, who took out her cellphone to show the photos and video of the flames engulfing the store’s big sign. “It was that big sign that said Anchor Lumber on it.”
The only thing left to show the sign had been there were six charred wooden poles.
As the flames burned people took photos and videos with their cellphones.
Liebovitz said everyone in the building got out and no injuries were reported. An official cause had not been determined late Monday.
Surrounded by friends and family, Anchor’s owner, Alex McGehee watched his building burn. “I don’t have anything to say at this point,” he said.
Grafton did. “Alex and Anchor Lumber have given a lot to this city,” Grafton said. “It’s our time to give back to Alex.”