Fire Destroys North Carolina Wood Flooring Produce
Lee County, NC, December 5, 2005--Fire destroyed part of Brookwood Limited on US 1. Brookwood Limited produces wood flooring, paneling and moldings. The owner vows to re-build once again.
At 1 pm, Brookwood Limited owner, Archie Brooks was busy working when he noticed something wrong. "My grandson and I started covering up lumber to keep it from being wet. We turned around and looked that way and seen the flame coming out the other end of the building, and in just a matter of minutes it was consumed."
About a dozen fire units respond to the blaze. Hours after it began, hot spots continued to flare up. Fire crews were able to contain the blaze to one area of the building.
Back in 2000 a heavy snowfall collapsed the same building lost Saturday. "If it hadn't been for the rain in the last couple weeks it could have been a whole lot worse."
Archie believes he lost $250,000 to $500,000 worth of equipment in the blaze. He doesn't have insurance, but his wife Betty says her husband will survive. "It's devastating. We've been through a lot and he'll tackle again."
Despite the damage no one was hurt and the cause of the fire is under investigation. But once the smoke clears, Archie plans to get back to work. "Most they're part time people and they'll be here. A lot of friends and neighbors, and I'll have a lot of help putting it back together."
