Did you see this fire?
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FRANKLIN — For the second time in two years, fire destroyed one of this city’s historic buildings, left several people without jobs and two people homeless.
In 2009, fire destroyed the 1890s-era building at 410 S. Main St. that housed Fitzgerald Flowers and Gifts and several apartments.
Monday, fire destroyed Smith’s Bistro, the former Kinney’s Restaurant, at 543 S. Main St.
Franklin Fire Chief Jonathan Westendorf said the cause and origin of the fire won’t be known for several days as building and fire officials, including the state fire marshal, assess the structure.
The property was valued at $70,590, according to the Warren County auditor’s website.
The fire started at about 7:30 a.m. Minutes later, billowing black smoke could be seen from Interstate 75. Fire crews from Middletown, Turtlecreek Twp., Lebanon, Miamisburg and Miami Twp. helped Franklin put out the fire about three hours later, fire officials said.
Missie Jeffery, owner of Missie’s Hair Salon next door to the bistro, spotted the fire. She dialed 911 and alerted Tim Smith, the restaurant owner who lives in an upstairs apartment. There was smoke damage to her business.
Westendorf said an explosion occurred when firefighters tried to enter the building.
“The whole front blew off toward us,” Jeffery said. “When it blew we just freaked. Window pieces started flying and we were running.”
More than 50 residents looked on, many creating videos of the explosion.
Mayor Denny Centers, who said he owns the building adjacent to the bistro, which houses the salon, said tenants in its two apartments were not injured.
“That’s one of our best, most historic buildings,” said Centers, who noted he was finishing breakfast nearby when he saw the fire.
Pacey Mindlin, longtime Franklin businessman and owner of Mindlin Recycling, agreed. He called the bistro “a gathering place for the whole town.”
The building has had several names, but always a popular gathering place for city residents, Mindlin said.
It is most notably the former Kinney’s Restaurant. Smith, who noted that the bistro employs five, said he has owned the structure built in 1892 for about four years.
The business has a long history in Franklin. In 1934, Aleta and Levita Kinney opened The Twins, known for double-patty burgers. A couple of years later, William Kinney Sr. joined the family business and changed the name to Kinney’s Dine Bar Cafe.
The bar was home to several murals of Franklin landmarks painted by Ruther Turner, whose brother Bob Turner operates a barbershop downtown.
Kinney’s was named the city’s Business of the Year in 1975 by the chamber of commerce.
Stephen and Gail Creech purchased the business in 1981. It remained Kinney’s for about 70 years while ownership changed several times.
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