I went back out the Saturday after the fire to check on the state of the demolition of the Norvell-Shapleigh warehouse after I had viewed it on Monday.

A substantial amount of the building had been removed, particularly the former J. Kennard and Sons Carpet Co. portion on the north, including the part that had hit the high tension power lines. The street was back open.

There was still smoke rising from a smoldering fire, and the Fire Department had to come back out on Sunday to extinguish it.

These sorts of images remind me of Richmond or Atlanta after the Civil War.

I assume due to the hazard presented here that most of the rest of the ruins will be demolished long before the end of February. But there is a basement so that is very dangerous, as well, and readers are advised to not trespass on the site.

This was the building featured in the news concerning blight, graffiti and illegal dumping, but I guess that’s not a concern anymore.

One of the last major functioning buildings is the Ashley Street Power Plant, which still provides steam for the steam loop through downtown. It will continue to operate far into the future since so many buildings in downtown lack the machinery to produce their own heat or hot water.

And just across the highway, I spotted another of the victims of this scourge of fire that has been destroying so many buildings in this area.