Early Morning Fire Destroys Commerce Strip Mall

In Banks County, six businesses in a strip mall in Commerce lie in ruins after a fire ripped through the buildings Wednesday morning.

And authorities now believe the fire was deliberately set. It happened about 4a Wednesday morning on Maysville Road.

MainstreetNews.com reports the blaze is believed to have been caused by an RV that was parked behind the businesses.

City Manager Pete Pyrzenski said when firefighters arrived on the scene early Wednesday morning they found the RV fully engulfed in flames and the fire had already spread to the entire strip mall.

Firefighters and ladder trucks from Commerce, Jefferson, Maysville, Plainview, Nicholson and Jackson County Correctional facility battled the fire throughout the morning Wednesday.

Firefighters on ladder trucks battled the blaze from above while other fire crews worked the fire from the ground.

Among the businesses destroyed by the fire include J.D.’s Tobacco Town, a loan company, a thrift store and a grocery store.

The four businesses in the center of the complex were completely destroyed while the two businesses on either end of the strip mall were heavily damaged.

There were no reports of injuries.

A $10,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. Contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office for details at 404-656-2064.