ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – As officials continue to investigate the cause of a fire that killed one unidentified individual and destroyed two Downtown Escanaba businesses, the neighboring bicycle and sporting equipment establishment is working to recover from the damage.
Just before 2:00 a.m. on January 24, The Beaten Path owner and operator Jon Harris was working late in the office when he smelled smoke.
“At first I thought it was the furnace,” he recalled. “I started moving back toward the back of the building and the smell got a lot stronger. I could hear someone screaming for help. I came out the back door, saw black smoke pouring out of the building next door, and saw the owner of that building frantically screaming and running around on the roof.”
Harris immediately called 911. He says the rest is a blur.
Although Public Safety and other first responders were able to save his building, the interior and its contents sustained smoke damage.
“There was a little bit of water damage in one of the rooms, but there was heavy smoke damage,” said Harris. “I had what they call hot soot. It got in the cupboards, it got in containers, it’s in everything. Everything inside my building, which is my entire life and inventory, is pretty much a loss.”
With The Beaten Path approaching its 13th anniversary on March 1, Harris hopes to open his doors again soon. However, it is shaping up to be a long process.
“The first couple days, it smelled so bad you couldn’t go in there,” he said. “You could taste it, it was on your tongue. Just trying to get the smoke smell out and clean everything. The guys from SERVPRO, they’ve been here for ten days and they’ve been busting it in there. There’s so much to do. I just really can’t wait to get back to work.”
As he continues to pick up the pieces, Harris says he’s been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love he has received.
“I can’t thank this community enough,” he said. “Escanaba is my home, you know what I mean? The people stopping by, I got a lot of home-cooked meals. People bring me beers. The couple of times I’ve gone out to eat, people paid for my meals. I really appreciate that stuff. It all helps so much.”
Harris says his insurance will not cover all of the damage to The Beaten Path. A GoFundMe has been set up to help him as he recovers. Click here to donate. Harris can also be reached through The Beaten Path Facebook and Instagram accounts.
