NEWARK, Ohio — Officials are continuing to investigate what caused a fire that damaged a development project in Newark this past weekend.
According to Newark Assistant Fire Chief Doug Vermaaten, the fire broke out at the Newark Station development in the 300 block of West Main Street around 4:25 a.m. Sunday.
The first crews on the scene had to fight the fire defensively, meaning that no one went inside the building to try and get the fire under control. No firefighters or civilians were injured.
According to Vermaaten, part of the structure was torn down because of the sustained damage.
In an update Tuesday, the Newark Division of Fire and Emergency Medical Services said a small section of W. Main Street is still closed because the building, walls and structural components could collapse.
Until the area around the structure is deemed safe, the origin and cause will remain under investigation.
Newark fire said small amounts of smoke may be visible from the debris because of the change in weather conditions. They add this is expected and will be handled.
The building is part of a massive redevelopment project. However, the structure that burned was already set for demolition.
Another part of the property includes an outdoor plaza featuring sand volleyball courts and a fire pit that is scheduled to reopen on May 12. Phase two of the project will be under construction later this year and will include apartments, a coffee shop, and a restaurant.