An early morning blaze gutted the second oldest building in downtown Tuscaloosa, causing nearly $900,000 in damages.
Two firefighters were slightly injured early Monday morning as they battled the fire that destroyed most of the Kress Building at 201 Water Street.
They suffered some smoke inhalation but were not hospitalized, according to Vern Johnson, assistant fire chief.
Two businesses operated out of the 100-year-old structure. John Grant, president of the Lindoln Independent Insurance Agency, said his company lost about $50,000 in records and property. Marsha Golden, director of Eon Graphics Arts Co., said that firm sustained $75,000 in damages.
The three floors of the building were gutted by the fire, but the outside was apparently not seriously damaged, according to Josh Whitfield, the president of the County Preservation Society.
Whitfield estimated that renovating the building would take a minimum of $750,000 and added he hoped such a renovation would take place.
“The Kress Building has an architecture that is worth preserving,” he said.
Johnson said the first call on the fire came in at 12:35 a.m., and three firetrucks were on the scene within five minutes.
“We had a tough time with this one,” he said. “All that wood in the interior didn’t give us much of a chance to do anything but contain it.”
The Kress Building was built in 1892. The only building older is the First Commerce Bank building, erected in 1877.
The owner of the Kress Building is First Industrial Bank, and a spokesman there said the bank has not decided about renovating it.