Suspicious fire destroys building on Carolina Street
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on November 20, 2016 1:34 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Authorities are investigating a suspicious fire at 118 S. Carolina St. that broke out around 9 a.m. Sunday and destroyed the old Goldsboro Builder's Supply building.
Assistant Goldsboro Fire Chief Eric Lancaster said the building was vacant, and the blaze threatened surrounding homes.
"One house near the building had spot fires, but it wasn't damaged badly at all," Lancaster said. "This building was so far gone by the time we got here that we focused on exposures near the building since it's so dry and the wind is blowing."
The smoke billowing from the structure could be seen from downtown Goldsboro's core area near Center Street, and filled the air with thick, black smoke as it wound its way through streets and in between houses.
Alvin Smith, who was on Walnut Street at the time of the fire, said he saw the smoke rising upward but initially thought it was someone's fireplace.
As the smoke got worse, he walked closer to see what was going on.
"The fire was taller than all the houses around it," Smith said.
Lancaster did not know on the scene Sunday morning where the ignition point of the fire was.
He said Goldsboro Fire Department and the Goldsboro Police Department would be jointly investigating the fire.
The building was a total loss, as most of it was turned to rubble by the blaze that raged on for around two hours.
Authorities knocked down the front wall of the building with a backhoe due to significant structural damage caused by the fire.
Firefighters attacked the flames with ladder trucks and tanker alike, dumping water on the blaze for hours.
In addition to the Goldsboro Fire Department, Antioch Volunteer Fire Department, Arrington Volunteer Fire Department, Belfast Volunteer Fire Department, El-Roy Volunteer Fire Department, Mar-Mac Volunteer Fire Department and Rosewood Volunteer Fire Department all responded to the scene.