TRAVERSE CITY -- A Garfield Township custom furniture business is deemed to be a total loss after fire gutted the building.
Flames consumed Wholesale Rustic Furniture, located next to Belle Tire on U.S. 31 South, shortly before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fire clogged traffic on one of Grand Traverse County's busiest commercial strips at the height of the evening commute.
Crews from the Traverse City and Grand Traverse Metro fire departments controlled the flames, which streamed from all sides of the structure.
Thick, black smoke was visible farther down the highway.
Six employees were inside the building at the time of the fire, but all escaped uninjured, said Pat Parker, chief of the Metro fire department. The fire is believed to have started in a workshop area.
"The employees tried to put it out themselves," Parker said. "It was too great for them."
The business' owners declined comment. One employee, who would not give his name, said fire crews responded within seven minutes of dialing 911.
Employees both design and construct furniture. Its Web site describes the shop as "Northern Michigan's largest manufacturer of custom rustic and cottage furniture, and Michigan's leading dealer of rustic Amish Hickory furniture."
It is unknown how long the shop has occupied the building on U.S. 31.
