Fire destroys fairgrounds building

MARIETTA - A smoking frame and hunks of charred aluminum siding were all that was left of the former home of the River City Farmers Market Monday after an early morning fire ravaged the Washington County Fairgrounds' Rabbit and Poultry Building where the weekly market was held.

An insurance policy will cover the cost of replacing the building, but it will not cover the thousands of dollars of merchandise that was stored in the building by the market's vendors.

"About everybody kept their stuff in there," said River City Farmers Market President Gary Smith.

Photo courtesy of Marietta Fire Lt. Mike Dietsch A fire engulfs the Washington County Fairgrounds Rabbit and Poultry Building Monday morning as first responders from the Marietta Fire Department arrive on scene shortly after 6:20 a.m.

Photo by Jasmine Rogers Marietta firefighters Scott Casto, left, and Chris Hall spray down the soaking remnants of the Washington County Fairgrounds Rabbit and Poultry Building after it was consumed by a fire early Monday.

Between 60 and 70 vendors set up shop inside the building every Saturday, selling homemade items such as jewelry, wood working, home furnishings, candles, decorative iron working, and more, said Smith, who had the unfortunate task of calling vendors and informing them of the calamity.

"We have a guy that makes clocks valued at $300 to $400 a piece. I just talked to him and he lost pretty close to $7,000 worth of stuff," said Smith.

The losses will likely add up to be in the $100,000 range, he said.

The Marietta Fire Department, Warren Volunteer Fire Department and Devola Volunteer Fire Company responded to the fire around 6:20 a.m. Monday.

Most of the building was aflame by the time Marietta firefighters arrived on scene, said Chief C.W. Durham.

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Fire destroys fairgrounds building