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Fire in Granite City destroys businesses, forces apartment residents to temporarily evacuate

The fire happened overnight on Tuesday on Washington Avenue between 25th and 26th Streets.

GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Crews with the Granite City Illinois Fire Department are investigating a fire that damaged businesses and evacuated an apartment building.

5 On Your Side caught up with Dan Gosh while he was boarding up the space he leased on Washington Avenue after the fire ravaged the entire building.

“Probably started around 1:40 a.m. or something, because about 2:20, I saw the smoke coming through on the cameras I had set up in the shop. So I just called 911 and started flying over here,” Gosh said.

He used the space to work on vehicles on his own time.

“Yeah, mostly my own stuff. I got a little hotrod truck thing and then I had my boat in there. Just used it for my hobbies,” Gosh said.

The fire touched nearly everything, a pet grooming business, an upholstery shop and even the apartments had smoke filling the rooms.

“There's some tools and stuff that are probably still good. And so we’re trying to board up and take some stuff out, but, you know, it definitely did a good number on the boat,” Gosh said. 

While Gosh used the garage for his hobbies the space just next door was Klassy Klips, a pet grooming salon, and it's a total loss.

“I mean, it sucks, but, you know, for them, that's their actual work full time. So I feel a little worse for them than myself,” Gosh said.

That someone is Jason Hall’s mom. She owns the grooming business and has been there for more than 45 years.

“It's a part of our family at this point. I lived a part of life in this apartment building next door, so obviously it's devastating right now,” Hall said.

There are rumors the fire could have been intentionally set by a disgruntled former tenant. Officials have not confirmed those suspicions.

The people affected are hurting.

“This is their livelihood. They don't have backup plans. We're trying to figure out how we now move forward,” Hall said.

A firefighter was taken to the hospital for a minor medical issue and a neighbor said he lost his cat due to the smoke that filled his apartment. 

No other injuries were reported.

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