Gobles fire destroys three businesses

GOBLES, Mich. (WOOD) - Three Gobles businesses were destroyed Friday night by a fire that eight departments battled.

The fire is believed to have started at Jan's Trailside Cafe around 9 p.m. Two other businesses on State Street, Jan's Oasis and C.C.C. Bait and Tackle, were engulfed in the spreading flames.

All were destroyed. There are no reports of any injuries.

Don Smith, who owns C.C.C. Bait & Tackle, worked at the store with both his sons - who are also firefighters. He told 24 Hour News 8 he estimates the store is a total loss, with damages around $200,000.

A longtime firefighter himself, he's also been on the Gobles fire board.

He began the business eight years ago as something to do in his retirement, and hoped to pass along the business to his sons.

A few years ago, he said, the upstairs apartment at Jan's Trailside Cafe caught fire, and he was afraid he'd lose his business then. He was shocked when the fire broke out Friday night.

Resident Erin Phillips told 24 Hour News 8, "We had a bunch of kids up here earlier that were crying, they didn't know what was going on. My little boy is 8 and was, like, 'That's my favorite pancake place.' So it's going to be a shock and there was a lot of jobs that are gone now."

Excavators were brought in early Saturday morning to knock down the walls. Firefighters expect to be on scene until Saturday afternoon putting out hotspots.