A fire has gutted a landmark building in northern Missouri.
The Kirksville Daily Express reports that the Kirksville Arts Association building was hit Friday night by a fire that took hours to control and filled the downtown area with smoke. No injuries were immediately reported.
The building houses the Kirksville Arts Association gallery, as well as the association's office space and storage.
Fire Department Battalion Chief David Rigdon said he expected crews to continue working the scene throughout the day Saturday.
The state fire marshal is expected to investigate the cause.
In an emailed statement Saturday, the Kirksville Arts Association said the fire came the same week a new exhibit opened. The Hands of Friendship Quilt Guild exhibit featured handmade quilts, many of which were family heirlooms. The Arts Association thanked the Kiriksville Fire Department for its efforts to remove the quilts and said it "deeply regret(s) any damage to those quilts."
The Arts Association statement said a mosaic title mural on the front of the building was not damaged. It also offered this summary of the way forward:
"In the near future, the Kirksville Arts Association will begin planning for how we move forward. We are committed to serving the Kirksville area with a community arts program. The programs we are involved with in the community such as Invitation to the Arts at Ray Miller Elementary will continue.
Ed Campbell has graciously offered to give us temporary office space, so we will be back in business as soon as possible. Earlier this fall, Kirksville Arts was awarded a grant from the Missouri Arts Council to develop a strategic plan. This planning process will now take on a larger meaning as we begin to plan for our future."
