A fire in the historic Prescott, Arizona’s Whiskey Row destroyed three businesses and left behind massive devastation both in physical property damage and in the intangibles of business lost.
Following an investigation by fire inspectors it was discovered that “a small appliance in the back kitchen of the Bird Cage Saloon sparked the fire.” In addition to the Bird Cage Saloon being destroyed, also impacted were the Prescott Food Store and Hy’s Bare Bones BBQ. Additionally, close to two dozen residents that live along the block were displaced by the fire.
The fire, which took more than 60 firefighters and ten engines more than two hours to get under control, began at 6 pm – during a busy time for the downtown area and merchants. The buildings, constructed in the early 1900s were all connected and because there were no firewalls between them, the flames spread and the fire grew quickly. The initial damage estimates are in the millions of dollar range.
The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately evident but it was eventually traced to an electrical appliance. The Prescott Fire Department Chief was quoted as saying, “many of the buildings in the historic district were built more than 100 years ago and are not up to the present day fire safety standards.”
A fire of this magnitude also occurred on July 14, 1900 when an entire block, known as Whiskey Row, was destroyed along the same stretch of road.
The electricians at Cirtcele Electric understand all too well the hazards that business and homeowners face when their electrical appliances are either incorrectly grounded or when cords are frayed or other unseen damage has taken place to the wiring in a home or commercial building. “It’s crucial to have periodic electrical inspections to prevent these types of events from occurring,” Dave Specht of Cirtcele Electric said. Cirtcele provides electrical inspections for both commercial and residential buildings.
(Read more about the fire here)
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