Centralia Community Development Director Gayla Harting says the former Doug Loy Auto Body building in the 100 block of North Chestnut will be pushed in following a Wednesday fire.
Harting says with much of the roof structure gone, the back wall is bowing out into an alley, and the front of the building is pulling away from the structure. She reports both walls are in danger of collapsing, so the city is working to get utilities moved in the area so the walls can be pushed into a big pile of debris inside the building’s footprint.
Harting expects public works crews to complete the work either today or Friday.
The shared wall with the Block Tavern is intact and the tavern is able to continue business as usual.
Centralia Firemen are not sure how the fire started in a large number of tires stored inside the building. The fire burned through the northwest corner of the business sending a large plume of smoke into the air that could be seen as far away as Kinmundy.
