A fire Tuesday believed caused by a cigarette damaged Redmon’s Candy Factory in Phillipsburg, Missouri, but the business reopened less than 24 hours later.
The building sustained fire, smoke and water damage. A woman answering the phone at Redmon’s said the popular roadside stop reopened about noon Wednesday. The cleanup after the fire apparently went well.
The Lebanon Daily Record reported about the fire:
According to Conway Fire Chief Fred Savage, fire crews found fire and smoke coming from a corner of the building, and light smoke was coming out of the building’s eaves. According to the Conway Fire Department’s Facebook page, employees had already evacuated the business, and Savage said that the owner was attempting to extinguish the fire with a garden hose.
The first arriving engine crew from Conway was able to extinguish the visible fire.
The Conway Fire Department said on its Facebook page:
After the investigation we do not believe the fire to be a intentionally set fire. One possible cause could be improper disposal of smoking materials (cigarette butt). But we were unable to verify that 100%.
The fire began in the right front corner of the building, as you can see by this photo from the fire department.
Redmon’s, opened in 1995 by John and Sharon Redmon, remains best-known for its candy made on-site — including 70 flavors of saltwater taffy and 20 flavors of fudge — and its ballcap-wearing mascot that can been seen on the side of the business’ roof a half-mile away. Behind the property is the World’s Largest Gift Store. Both sit on a corner of old Route 66 and Interstate 44.
The Redmon’s complex is a relative newcomer to Route 66, but its Ozarks-style hucksterism is a throwback to the old days.
(Image of Redmon’s Candy Factory by Nate via Flickr; image of fire damage to Redmon’s by the Conway Fire Department via Facebook)
A simple question: how many commercial and domestic premises along Route 66 – or anywhere else in the US – have functioning fire extinguishers that are immediately to hand in the case of a fire? A garden hose is no substitute for a proper carbon dioxide, dry powder or water or foam extinguisher; along with training in how to deal with a fire. With so many of the historic buildings being made of wood, the need is even greater than with brick or stone structures. Will Redmon’s now invest in extinguishers, and train their staff in how to use them?