COVERAGE FROM THE SCENE
CLINTON COUNTY — A portion of Caesar Creek Flea Market on Ohio 73 near Interstate 71 erupted in flames Friday afternoon, requiring help from multiple crews from Clinton and Warren counties before it was put out.
There were early reports of people being trapped inside the building, but Chester Twp. fire Chief Rich Erbaugh said, “No one was trapped in the building and no one was injured.”
One firefighter was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
“At this time we don’t know where (the fire) started,” Erbaugh said. “We are doing an investigation.”
The fire took longer to put out because there are no available fire hydrants at the flea market. All the water was brought to the scene by tankers, Erbaught said.
“Something that big needs more manpower and water,” Erbaugh said. “To stop a fire with limited manpower and water, the guys did a great job. I couldn’t ask for better.”
Several vendors who gathered across the road said the fire was in the main aisle near Building 5.
“I was in there working when they came over the intercom and told us to leave now,” said Dennis Ogden of Fayetteville, whose booth is located in Building 2.
“I thought it was a joke at first because I wasn’t anywhere near it and didn’t see anything, but then I decided I’d better leave.”
Ogden said after leaving the building, he went around back and saw a lot of damage.
“The roof was pretty much gone,” he said.
Brittany Black, who was across the road at her grandparents’ home, said she was sitting in the living room when she saw black smoke coming out of the building.
“I have a friend who was in there, so I called her to make sure she was all right,” Black said. “She told me that she saw black smoke coming from three booths down from hers. She said someone yelled fire and she had just enough time to grab her keys and get out.”
The flea market is only open for business on Saturdays and Sundays.
Greg Dove, president of Levin Service Co. which owns and operates Treasure Aisles and Caesar Creek Markets, said the building was closed and would open as soon as possible.
“We don’t know the extent of the damage and we won’t know until we can get in there,” Dove said.
A fire in 2008 at Treasure Aisles in Monroe, formerly known as Turtle Creek Flea Market, destroyed nearly half of the 126,000-square-foot facility and caused an estimated $2.8 million in damage.
Levin Service Co. acquired Caesar Creek Markets in 1982. Built in 1978, the 62-acre market has two 62-by-12 foot canopies, two 48-by-20-foot canopies, a 20-by-50 garage, two 6-by-8 foot sheds and seven buildings that feature hundreds of vendors indoors and outdoors selling anything from musical instruments to appliances, furniture and jewelry.
About 15,000 people visit the flea market every weekend, according to reports.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or Skip.Weaver@coxinc.com.