Vendors, officials assess fire damage

Today, Mike James will be able to confirm what he already knows - that he lost probably $100,000 to $150,000 in Monday's fire at the South Augusta Flea Market.

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Kendrick Brinson/Staff

Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department Chief Howard Willis walks along the smoking remains of the South Augusta Flea Market a day after a fire severely damaged the market.

But he says it won't stop him from reopening his furniture stall when the market reopens.

"When they rebuild, we'll be right here," said Mr. James, who also owns Mike's Furniture and whose wife had the three restaurants at the flea market.

Monday's fast-moving fire tore through several buildings at the market on Doug Barnard Parkway.

On Tuesday, vendors stopped by to look at the ruin - only to be prevented from visiting their stalls by yellow crime scene tape and officers from several agencies who were combing through the rubble. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined Richmond County fire investigators in the search.

ATF Agent R.J. McCormick, of the Atlanta Field Division, said a backhoe was being used to remove some of the debris. Specially trained dogs, used to sniff out fire accelerants, also were brought to the scene.

"The first step is to rule everything out," he said. "It's going to take a little while (to determine what happened). We're just beginning."

Lt. G.B. Hannan, the interim Richmond County fire marshal, said he was keeping an "open mind" about the cause of the blaze.

"We're just trying to deal with the area of origin right now," he said.

Whatever the cause of the blaze, it was the aftermath that concerned vendors Tuesday. Mr. James, like most others at the facility, said he did not have insurance.

"There wasn't but one guy out here that I know," who was insured, he said.

Steve Cleveland, who owns G&A Tires, was lucky. His business, which deals mostly in used tires, sits at the front of the market and was untouched by flames, and he was open for business.

"We're up and running," he said.

Market customer Eddie Herrin stood in the small roadside parking lot Tuesday and took in the charred carnage.

"This is a real shame," he said.

As a collector of ceramics, he said he enjoys flea markets.

"Especially in the wintertime. It gives you something to do on the weekend," he said.

He's also worried about his neighbor, Harold "Dusty" Rhodes, the owner of the market.

"It's a really sad thing to see something like this happen to someone."

Reach Amy Allyn Swann at (706) 823-3338 or amy.swann@augustachronicle.com.

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.