CADIZ, Ohio --
Weeks after a historic Harrison County building was heavily damaged by fire, the owner is going to use an unconventional way to try and salvage it.
The building in downtown Cadiz caught fire earlier in May, and fire officials called it a complete loss and said it would have to be torn down.
But the building's owner, Tom Cole, said he's going to try to save the West Market Street building by shrink-wrapping it to prevent further damage.
The smell of charred wood still lingers in the burned-out apartment building, and there was heavy fire and water damage to the second and third floors. Fire department officials estimated more than 100,000 gallons of water was used to extinguish the blaze.
But Cole said he has a unique connection to the building that told his heart not to raze it.
"The historical connection to the courthouse is pretty well-documented. When the courthouse was constructed, they finished it up and built the bank building," Cole said.
But after the fire, water damage allowed mold to grow, and there was a huge gap in the roof that let rain in.
So now, Cole plans to shrink-wrap the building to protect it from additional moisture.
"It's just a polyurethane type of material. They stretch it over the entire surface of the roof area and draw down to seal out all the moisture," Cole said.
Crews will first board up the windows, then wrap the entire building. Then they will clean out burned debris.
Cole said he's not sure what he will use the building for once it's restored, but he's glad he's going to save a piece of Ohio Valley history.
Copyright 2011 by . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
