SBI Rules Cause of Forest City Fire 'Undetermined'

The cause of the Aug. 31 fire that gutted a historic downtown Forest City building will remain officially undetermined.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) completed its investigation into the fire at 110 W. Main St., the former Farmers Hardware building, without identifying what started the blaze.

An undetermined finding does not mean the fire was accidental or intentionally set. It means investigators could not establish a specific cause from the available evidence, according to a WCAB News review of available statements and public records.

More than 60 firefighters responded to the fire shortly after 5 p.m. and battled it for more than three hours. Nearby businesses were affected by smoke and water.

Rutherford County tax records identify Challenge Foundation Group Inc. as the owner of 110 W. Main St. The building dates to 1920 and contains approximately 11,400 square feet of leasable space.

The county's current property card lists the building as “not livable,” with 95% physical depreciation. Its building value is assessed at $15,200, while the entire parcel, including land, has a taxable value of $89,300.

However, the county database says the information was last updated on Sept. 8, after the fire. 

Deed records show Challenge Foundation Properties Inc. purchased the property from Farmers Hardware Co. of FC Inc. for $200,000 in April 2022. A subsequent record reflects the company's name change to Challenge Foundation Group Inc.

"The Fire and Arson Investigation Unit works with local, state and federal investigators to determine the origin and cause of a fire. The SBI has original jurisdiction in fire and arson cases," the SBI said in a statement on its website. "SBI fire investigators may classify fires as accidental, providential (natural) or incendiary (intentional). If investigators are unable to conclusively determine a single possible cause of the fire, then the fire will be classified as undetermined. If the fire is determined to have been incendiary in nature, investigators may assist in the second area of fire investigations. In this area, agents may assist local, other state and federal investigators to determine who is responsible for setting the fire. When fully staffed the Fire and Arson Investigations Unit consists of 17 agents who are specially trained to conduct fire investigations. Each District Office is assigned two agents along with a statewide program coordinator who oversees the administrative and logistical aspects of the program. The SBI has at least one investigator on call at all times in an attempt to maintain 24-hour statewide coverage."

A structural engineer has since inspected the property. The building remains boarded and fenced.