An old grain elevator in the middle of downtown Greenwood burned down Tuesday, causing a major disruption during the afternoon rush hour.
The iconic abandoned Farm Bureau Co-op grain elevator at the intersection of Main and Washington streets caught fire about 3:20 p.m. It is owned by Thomas Oakley, of Oakley Automotive, according to online property records.
The entire building went up in flames quickly, and the Greenwood Fire Department spent more than an hour battling the fire, said Chad Tatman, spokesperson for the fire department.
The fire spread to the commercial building directly next to the grain elevator at 200 E. Main Street, where Sports Plus is located. Everyone inside got out safely, and the fire was extinguished. The extent of the damage there was unknown immediately, but the grain elevator is a total loss, Tatman said.
Washington Street and Main Street between Meridian Street and Polk Street were closed to traffic during and after the fire. The railroad tracks, directly west of the property, was also closed to train traffic. All streets remained closed at 5 p.m. with no set reopening time, he said.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
