Staff report
Two businesses and an apartment building in Salisbury were damaged in separate fires Sunday.
Salisbury firefighters also responded to a house fire in East Spencer Sunday afternoon.
Most of the fire departments in the county were called out to assist Salisbury Sunday evening.
Around 7:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a fire at 729 Victory Street, near Salisbury High School, where smoke was coming from the eaves of a single-story wood frame apartment building housing six units.
Firefighters searched the apartments to ensure all occupants were out and subsequently found the fire in a wall separating two units.
With all of the city units committed to the apartment fire, Salisbury called in additional units from around the county, including Granite, Quarry, Spencer, Cleveland and Faith.
As firefighters continued to search for the fire and tried to make sure it didn’t spread to the attic, a fire alarm went off at Radio Shack in Salisbury Mall.
Battalion Chief Chris Kepley said some of the county units that had responded to the apartment fire went to the mall along with firefighters from Rockwell City, Spencer and South Salisbury.
While other units responded to the mall fire alarm, firefighters contained the apartment fire to the wall between two units.
Battalion Chief Chris Kepley said the Red Cross was contacted to provide housing for the residents of two apartments that sustained an estimated $20,000 damage.
Kepley said the fire department contacted Duke Energy to turn power back on to three other apartments so those residents could return.
Firefighters remained on the scene for around three hours.
Fire officials said preliminary indications point an electrical cause for the apartment fire.
While Salisbury Firefighters concentrated on the apartment fire, county and other municipal units focused on the Radio Shack alarm, which came in at 8:07 p.m.
Firefighters found a haze of smoke at the front of the store. Police reported water coming from under the back door, indicating a sprinkler had activated.
Firefighters forced entry to the store. Kepley said they found that an exhaust fan in the bathroom had overheated because of boxes stored near it. The fan caught fire and set the boxes on fire.
One sprinkler went off, dousing the fire.
Damage was confined to the bathroom area and some water damage to the adjacent Hallmark store.
Kepley estimated damage at $5,000.
Firefighters were sill on the scene around 10 p.m.
Earlier Sunday, around 8:20 a.m., firefighters responded to a call at the China Rainbow restaurant on Stokes Ferry Road.
A chiller had caught fire and filled the kitchen with smoke.
The restaurant was closed Sunday, but should re-open later this week.
Damage was estimated at around $5,000, including the cost of cleanup.
Salisbury firefighter also responded to a structure fire in East Spencer Sunday afternoon. Details were not immediately available.