On this date, January 2, 1940: The Variety Fruit Store at 314 West Fourth Street had a visit from the fire department when the two-burner oil stove in the store caught fire and exploded. Firemen extinguished the blaze quickly, and the greatest damage was to the stove itself, rather than to the stand and the fruit stock. The Variety Fruit Store was located beside the Nissen Building, and the proprietor, B. B. Barker, escaped safely.
This was one of three fire alarms in the city on this date. The other two alarms involved careless attempts to thaw frozen pipes in homes during the cold weather. Apparently in one instance a paper fire was set under the frozen pipes in a home closet, and a hole was burned in the floor.
Fire Chief M. G. Brown urged residents to use hot water to thaw the pipes, rather than flames.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
