LORIS, SC (WBTW) – Fire crews remained on scene for hours Tuesday at the Loris Florist and Gift shop, fighting down flames that broke out just before 10 a.m.
Horry County Fire Rescue sent multiple stations to help the Loris Fire Department.
The fire chief told News13 on-scene that the fire started in the back of the building. He said he thought a work van, which was destroyed, had something to do with what caused the fire.
A few employees were working in the store when they heard a noise from the back and then saw the smoke and flames.
Everyone was able to get out quickly and no one was hurt.
The fire chief said it took them about two hours to get the fire under control, but crews stayed on scene until about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Traffic on Main Street was closed earlier Tuesday with city officials directing cars.
The Acting Mayor of Loris said because Loris is such a small town, when one family hurts, everyone hurts.
“There’ll be an outpouring of love here for these people. For all the families that work here and the owners,” Todd Harrelson, acting mayor, said. “The community is already rallying to find them a place to go and work so that they can gather up and getting started back in this location I hope.”
The store is the only florist shop in the city of Loris. It has been in the hands of the current owners for a few years, but the building itself has served a florist shop for decades.
The owners told News13 they plan to rebuild their shop in the same location.
Until then, they’re thankful for their neighbors and the city who, they say, have shown them an outpouring of love.
“We’ll pray for them,” Harrelson said. “And we’ll come out and help them with whatever they need to do to clean this up and get started back.”
The owners said they want people to know that they are still open for business, just not out of the burned building.
They encourage people to still call and hire them as usual, especially for Mother’s Day next month, which is one of the shop’s biggest holidays.
