Carroll County News: Local News: BREAKING NEWS: Doggie Thrift Store in Berryville burns to ground; no injuries reported (12/28/12)

Photos by David Bell / Carroll County News

BERRYVILLE -- The Good Shepherd Humane Society Doggie Thrift Store at 202 S. Springfield St., directly behind Davis Fina and housed in the old Brashears barn, burned to the ground late Friday afternoon.

The building, circa early 1930s, formerly housed Brashears Furniture long before it moved to its current location on U.S. Highway 62.

Berryville Fire Department, assisted by Green Forest firefighters, were successful in stopping the enormous blaze from spreading to extremely close-by homes and businesses, but the barn itself is expected to be deemed a total loss.

The blaze, which broke out just before 4:30 p.m., was still burning slightly -- amid the rubble -- as of 7:05 p.m. Friday.

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One firefighter who asked to remain unnamed told Carroll County News that he had cringed many times whenever he thought about it catching fire. And today, "it did just what I thought it would," he said, shaking his head.

At least three houses and some apartments that are extremely close to the barn were saved thanks to the efforts of the Berryville and Green Forest Fire Departments. At one point, the apartments were evacuated.

As of 7 p.m. no one had been reported injured in the fire, though there was an explosion early in the battle that threw a firefighter off his feet, when a portable oxygen tank exploded inside the building, blowing the door off the building's garage and sending it flying across Carl Street. Fortunately, officials said, he escaped injury. His name was not released.

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