Downtown Statesville Fire

Statesville, North Carolina | UPDATE | 4/27/2023

Earlier today, City staff placed temporary fencing from the Merrill Lynch building on S. Center Street to Theater Statesville on W. Broad Street, and the alley behind the buildings on Court Street. “No Trespassing” signs have been placed on the fences. The fire investigation is ongoing, and any unauthorized person that enters the fenced in areas will be charged with trespassing by the Statesville Police Department. Pedestrians should use sidewalks on the opposite side of the street as a detour around the fenced in areas.

New Traffic Pattern: Beginning Friday morning (between 9-10am), W. Broad Street from Center Street to Meeting Street will be temporally shifted to only allow one-way traffic in the west bound direction towards Mitchell Community College. 

The City of Statesville would like to thank ZNDUS for providing the temporary fencing around the fire damaged properties downtown.

Statesville, North Carolina | UPDATE | 4/25/2023

The Statesville Fire Department ran checks at the buildings throughout last night and through 8am this morning.   Around 3pm, they checked for hot spots using thermal imagining and found none.  There are no updates regarding the cause of the fire or where the fire began.  The Fire Marshal’s Office will be working alongside insurance investigators for the next couple of days.  The fire is still under investigation and an update will be released once complete.

City Staff will be securing the area with temporary barriers.  Staff is requesting that the public not enter the area that is marked with fire tape and barriers for any reason.

Statesville, North Carolina | April 25, 2023

Early on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, a devastating fire broke out in the Historic District of Downtown Statesville, damaging three businesses: GG's Art Frames Gifts, Merrill Lynch, and Theater Statesville. The fire caused heavy damage to the buildings, including fire, smoke, and water damage, and also affected neighboring buildings with smoke and water damage.

The fire was initially spotted by firefighters from Station 1, who were responding to a separate call and noticed smoke coming from the downtown area. Upon arrival, they found flames and heavy smoke emanating from the buildings in the 100 block of S. Center Street and W. Broad Street. The situation quickly escalated, and a general alarm was issued at 2:33am, with additional fire personnel from neighboring agencies rushing to the scene. At the peak of the fire, around 75 fire personnel were on site.

It took several hours to bring the fire under control, and the control time was declared at approximately 5:30am. Crews then began the painstaking process of overhaul to ensure that all hotspots were extinguished. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, as all the buildings were unoccupied at the time of the fire. However, the fire department will continue to monitor the buildings throughout the night for any smoldering areas.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by various agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Office of the State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), and the Statesville Fire Marshal. Given the extent of the damage and the size of the buildings, the investigation is expected to be lengthy, and the public is advised to avoid the area if possible.

The City of Statesville and the Statesville Fire Department expressed its gratitude to the numerous agencies that provided assistance during the firefighting efforts, including the Mooresville Fire Department, Hickory Fire Department, Mocksville Fire Department, Troutman Fire Department, Harmony Volunteer Fire Department, South Iredell Volunteer Fire Department, Monticello Volunteer Fire Department, Statesville Police Department, Iredell County Emergency Management, and Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office, as well as other standby agencies. The support from the community has also been overwhelming, with many citizens dropping off food, beverages, and words of encouragement to the fire personnel on the scene. This incident has truly highlighted the spirit of togetherness in Statesville, "Where It All Comes Together". 

About the City of Statesville:

The City of Statesville is truly a diverse community that welcomes new people, new voices and ideas, new industry, and business. We have already made significant investments in our downtown amenities, our business sector, our schools, our infrastructure, and more is on the horizon. We are creating a dynamic future for ourselves as we build on our successful history and the positive energy we experience today, all the while incorporating the values and quality of life that we cherish. To learn more visit www.statesvillenc.net.