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Neighbor who lost house to fire watches flames

Friday, September 03, 2010 11:26 AM | Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

Updated Monday, May 23, 2011 1:40 PM

Jeff Overcash lives near the Webb Road Flea Market and feared his house, which burned six years ago, would go up in flames again. Photo by Emily Ford

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

Jeff Overcash thought Hurricane Earl had arrived when he looked out his window this morning and saw thick, black clouds filling the sky.

He quickly realized the clouds were actually huge plumes of smoke coming from the Webb Road Flea Market, located about two blocks from his house.

The sprawling collection of booths and shops burned to the ground in a three-alarm blaze that started around 7:30 a.m. and burned for several hours. Firefighters will be at the scene all day working to prevent flare-ups.

Six years ago, Overcash watched his own house on Webb Road burn to the ground. He and his wife rebuilt their white, two-story home, but watching flames consume the flea market today took Overcash back.

“Seeing everything and smelling the smoke brought back bad memories,” he said.

As he stood on his diving board at 7:45 a.m. to get a better look, he said he heard several explosions. He suspects they came from propane tanks that vendors used to heat their booths.

Overcash became concerned at one point that his house might be in danger from the fire.

“You never know what it’s going to do, because at one point the wind changed,” he said.

His home is safe.

Overcash’s father-in-law has a relative who owned a business at the flea market. Like so many people today, he lost all his inventory and the way he made his living.

“This was people’s livelihood,” Overcash said.

Contact Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.

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