Fire destroys Lions Club building, damages clothing store

STAFF REPORT

HUBBARD — Fire gutted a North Main Street service organization’s building Thursday morning.

Fire Chief John Clemente said firefighters received the call about 11:40 a.m. about the blaze at the Lions Club, 35 N. Main.

A work crew was doing soldering work on a plumbing job in the building and caught the wall on fire, the chief said. He said the two-story structure, which also houses an upstairs apartment, was mostly destroyed but couldn’t offer a damage estimate.

No one was injured. Firefighters rescued a dog that lived in the apartment, Clemente said.

Fire crews from Vienna, Brookfield and Liberty also responded.

Clemente said buildings in that section of downtown are close together, and he wanted to try to prevent the flames from spreading. A men’s clothing store next to the club sustained damage, but the Downtown Cafe was unharmed and opened for business later in the day.