Electrical Wiring Probable Culprit in Massive Turtle Creek FM Fire
Information source: Denise Wilson, Richard Wilson (Dayton Daily News)
Aug 17, 2008

    Picture credit: Samantha Grier

MONROE, OH —A massive fire June 11th, 2008 at the popular Turtle Creek Flea Market in Monroe, Ohio on the outskirts of Cincinnati did heavy damage to the indoor facility and one firefighter was "overcome by smoke" while battling the intense blaze.

More than 50 firefighters from six departments responded to the structure fire that broke out at 3 p.m. at the facility at 320 Garver Road just off Ohio 63 and Interstate 75, said Monroe Fire Chief Mark Neu.

The building, is closed weekdays, and there were no other reports of injuries.

Neu said the apparent electrical fire started in a wall of a booth where fish and fish tanks were sold.

Candy Bailes, a 52 year old Franklin Twp. widow who operates a rock 'n roll memorabilia shop, said the J. Paul Aquatics shop sells pets, including fish, rabbits, turtles and snakes, and is located in the area of the fire's origin.

Bailes, who has operated two booths since October in the wing nearest the pet shop, fears she may have lost everything to smoke damage. Also, Bailes said she is uninsured for her estimated $10,000 worth of licensed merchandise, including T shirts, posters and lighters.

Don and Lola Cohen of Mason rushed to the fire after a neighbor called to them to say that she saw a lot of smoke while driving along I 75.

"She said, 'Don, I think Turtle Creek (Flea Market) is on fire, and I said 'what?'" said Cohen, who added the couple has owned Lola's Fashionable Handbags booth at the flea market for five years. "We're concerned, as we should be."

Neu said from the wall of the booth, the fire spread into the ceiling and moved northward down the main hallway of the facility, which is E shaped with six separate wings branching off to the east from the main building.

About 40 percent of the building, which did not have a sprinkler system, sustained heavy smoke or fire damage, he said. Two maintenance workers using extinguishers tried to put out the blaze before firefighters arrived.

When firefighters responded to the large structure fire within 4 minutes after the initial call at 2:58 p.m. "we had smoke was coming from the main part of the building," said Neu. "All the roof area and the steel that is into the roof area are structurally damaged."