Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
A former city councilman said he plans to rebuild after a fire caused major damage to his business office on McGuffey Road.
The fire, likely caused by a faulty space heater, caused more than $200,000 worth of damage to the Gillam & Associates building on the city’s East Side, said Artis Gillam, its owner.
The fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday.
“When I went in there [Monday], I couldn’t believe the damage,” Gillam said. “It’s [the extent of the damage to the building and equipment] kind of hitting me right now.”
Gillam, who operates a contracting company, said he will rebuild the business at its current site.
“I love the location,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. I won’t shut down the business.”
Gillam served eight years as councilman of the city’s 1st Ward. His wife, Annie, replaced him and has served since 2008. She is up for re-election this year.