Thu, Dec 04 2008
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Published June 15, 2007 11:14 pm - MIAMI, Okla. — Fire destroyed a mainstay of the Miami business district on Friday. Firefighters and investigators were still sifting through the burned debris of the Miami Laundry and Dry Cleaning, 217 S. Main St., late Friday afternoon, trying to locate the origin of the blaze to determine a cause. Miaimi landmark destroyed by fire By Debby Woodin
dwoodin@joplinglobe.com MIAMI, Okla. — Fire destroyed a mainstay of the Miami business district on Friday. Firefighters and investigators were still sifting through the burned debris of the Miami Laundry and Dry Cleaning, 217 S. Main St., late Friday afternoon, trying to locate the origin of the blaze to determine a cause. “That cleaner is pretty much a landmark. It’s been there for years and years and years,” said Rindy Turnbow, the daughter-in-law of owner Russell Turnbow, of Joplin, Mo. She worked for him at the business. She said her father-in-law had operated the business about 25 years, but it was there for years before he bought it. The business picked up laundry and dry cleaning at substations in many area towns, including Grove and Langley, Baxter Springs, Kan., and Joplin, that was done in the Miami store, she said. “Not only did he lose this business, but he’s going to lose all of his substations,” because there is no equipment left to restart the business. “There is nothing left. It is all soot, cinders and ashes. There’s some skeletons of machines, but they’re all bowed and melted,” she said. Capt. Ronnie Ross, of the Miami Fire Department, said the alarm came in at 1:35 a.m. Friday. Firefighters had the blaze under control within an hour, but stayed on the scene until 6:23 a.m. to guard against flareups. The brick and metal building was engulfed by the time the firefighters could respond, he said. “Our main focus was saving the building next to it because it was already through the roof and out the windows when we got the call,” Ross said. Rindy Turnbow said the fire burned hard and hot because of the dry-cleaning chemicals in the building. “The flames were 20 to 30 feet high. “There was a great big mushroom cloud there when some of our chemicals blew. It was scary there for a few minutes,” she said. She and Ross said the neighboring business that the firefighters saved is B&B Automotive, a store where auto parts and paint are sold. “Thankfully, none of the other businesses were harmed. B&B had water damage, but the firewall held,” Rindy Turnbow said. Fighting the fire 
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