UPDATE | Fire displaces apartment tenants; local market is leveled

UPDATE 10/19/20 @ 6:35 p.m.

Not much is left after Legacy Market on Church Street caught on fire Monday morning.

Brenda Wright, who lives in the apartment next door, said all she could do is watch after getting a knock on her door around 7 a.m.

“The officer that knocked on my door, he just said ‘ma’am, get out, there is a fire,’ ” Wright said.

Scared, she rushed down the stairs as she watched the flames engulf the building next door. She said flames and black smoke shot up as firefighters worked tirelessly.

“All I could see was our whole town going up in flames, although it didn’t,” Wright said.

Julie McKown, who owns a building a few doors down, said the flames spanned from front to back.

“Tall huge smoke, you can see it for miles,” McKown said. “I am just glad that there was other firefighters that came and handled the back because we would have lost the whole street, I think.”

McKown rushed over to help, concerned the tenants including Wright and Legacy Market had lost so much.

“There is a lot of loss,” said McKown. “Complete loss.”

Spencer firefighters said there were no injuries and the fire was under control by midday. Into the afternoon, firefighters worked to clear up the debris from where the market stood and knocked down the facade.

Wright’s apartment, other tenants and neighboring businesses also had damage. Wright said she finds peace in her faith.

“I hate it for Legacy Market, I hate it because I am out of a home, but I know God is going to provide for me,” Wright said.

Both Wright and McKown said they are thankful for first responders. McKown said she’s ready to help.

“I will be out here everyday to help Jeremy or anybody do whatever we need,” McKown said.

Spencer firefighters said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

UPDATE 10/19/20 @ 12:22 p.m.

ROANE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Several firefighters are battling a fire at a market.

It happened around 7:12 Monday morning at a market in the downtown part of Spencer on Church Street.

Spencer firefighters say they don’t know the cause of the fire.

Several crews responded, including firefighters from the Ripley and Ravenswood Fire Departments.

As of noon on Monday, the fire is under control.

Our crews at the scene say no one was hurt.

This is a developing story.

Keep checking the WSAZ App for the latest information.

ORIGINAL STORY 10/19/20 @ 9:21 a.m.

ROANE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Dispatchers say several departments are responding to a fire in Spencer.

The call came in around 7:12 Monday morning.

Investigators say the fire happened along Church Street.

No other information has been released.

This is a developing story.

Keep checking the WSAZ App for the latest.

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