LONG VIEW, N.C. — Flames destroyed a laundromat in Long View Thursday morning, causing nearly $1 million in damage.
Firefighters think the fire was set on purpose. Investigators said they believe the fire is linked to several others because of the way it was started.
Lloyd Trotter showed Eyewitness News what is left of the office area at the Family Coin Laundry. He arrived shortly after sunrise to find there was little left of the business he started nearly 30 years ago.
“I was just astonished that something could happen this fast. What you had yesterday, you don't have today,” Trotter said.
Fire investigators spent hours at the business Thursday morning. They said there have been several fires set nearby during the past two weeks, including a house fire just a few blocks away. In all of the cases, the person responsible is using the same method to set the fires. It is something investigators don't want to reveal yet, but they did talk about the danger to firefighters.
“We're responding in the middle of the night. We don't know what we are up against,” said Barry Sigmon with Long View Fire. “These buildings do collapse. It is one of those things where it is inherent with the job, but it is still unnecessary.”
Trotter hopes whoever is responsible is caught and gets help before someone is hurt.
“I think it is a sickness,” he said.
Stacy Carter has worked there for more than four years but doesn't have a job to come to anymore.
“I hope nobody gets hurt,” Carter said. “I hope whoever is doing this is caught and nobody gets hurt.”