BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Bisbee community is still figuring out what the future of Main Street is after two buildings were destroyed in a fire last week. A section of Main Street remains closed to pedestrians and traffic, as of Monday.
The business owners in the closed part of town are trying to figure out what they are going to do with their businesses. Amber Avery-Pierce is the owner of Bisbee Soap & Sundry, which is located across the street from where the fire took place.
“Most of the reason for our success here is because we’re in the heart of downtown Bisbee, there’s foot traffic just all day every day,” she said.
Now, there's foot traffic but they can't get to her shop because of barricades on the street and sidewalk.
“Our lifeline has essentially been cut off right at our front doors,” Avery-Pierce said.
Bisbee Fire Chief Jim Richardson was on scene Monday to assess the damage. His crews left the scene Thursday night after dousing the buildings in water. Richardson knows the businesses want to open and the effect this closure is having on them. But because the buildings have been weakened by the fire, they could collapse at anytime.
“The building is still in the process of collapse," he said. "We don’t want anybody walking by here and the building fall on them. It’s very unsound structurally.”
He noticed pieces of the building falling inside of them while looking around this morning. He even pointed out a new crack in one of the front-facing walls that wasn't there a few days ago. Bisbee Fire Department and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the investigation. Richardson said the walls have to be secured before they can go inside to do a thorough investigation.
“We’re probably going to have to do some assuring of the walls, the ceilings and stuff like that to get in there and start doing a more thorough investigation,” he said.
As for Avery-Pierce, she just happy to have a store to walk into — even if it's through the back door.
“We’re exhausted," she said. "We are absolutely exhausted but we’re still here and we’re very thankful.
"We are very fortunate that we are as established as we are, otherwise we’d be sunk.”
The 10-year-old business, is moving to its online shop for the time being. Avery-Pierce said the community and returning customers are supporting her business in this new way, but the reality is she doesn't know how long this will last.
“That’s the only thing keeping us afloat right now," she said. "It’s working out okay. I imagine that that is going to slow down.”
While KGUN was with Avery-Pierce, Richardson stopped into the business to provide an update to the shop owner, sharing his concerns and hopes of reopening the sidewalk.
But for now, the City of Bisbee is waiting for a structural engineer to come to town to assess the damage and provide and insight on what can be done and how the can possibly brace the walls.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
