Community assesses damage from Bristol fire, works to rebuild

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Bristol community mourns buildings and items lost in a weekend fire.

Fire departments responded to a fire at Fumadores Bar and Lounge on West State Street, early Saturday morning.

Outside of the building still stands police tape, blocking off the property.

A customer of Fumadores and Zarati’s, Timothy Whitaker, heard about the fire while he was in the hospital and went by the property after being released Tuesday. He was sad and shocked when he saw the damage.

“This is a big loss for them, but I know they’re going to come back stronger,” Whitaker said. “But, it’s a bigger loss because they help so many people in the community.”

Whitaker said people with Fumadores have been willing to help him when he’s needed it, plus, the businesses host free meet and greets with artists like Jelly Roll.

Next door is Imperial Dent Removal which doesn’t show as many outward signs of damage as Fumadores, until looking inside.

“[The fire] came through the wooden partition and then set my stuff on fire, and continued to spread through the building,” Owner of Imperial Dent Removal and Imperial Pro Wrestling Lew Freeman said.

Freeman received a call from his landlord while out of town Saturday morning, a call that became a very rude awakening. If his tools, cars and wrestling equipment aren’t covered in soot, or damaged by smoke, it’s damaged by the over a million gallons of water poured into the building by firefighters within three hours.

Some of the cars are his favorite old Honda that he’s worked to restore.

Holes have been left on the roof in the back of Freeman’s building. Debris is scattered around the building, being pushed by water that still stands in parts of the building. Burst lightbulbs have left glass scattered as well.

“We store everything for Imperial Pro Wrestling in the back from speakers to the microphones, to the padding for the ring, the chairs, the concession stands stuff, lights, the entranceway,” Freeman said. “Every bit of that’s gone.”

Imperial Pro Wrestling puts on fundraising events for the community, the next one was planned for Sept. 21.

“I’ve had wrestling promotions from literally across the world reach out and let me know that we don’t need to cancel the event,” Freeman said. “That we still need to run it and so we’re going to run it.”

Now, Freeman is working to fundraise.

With all of the equipment, tools and cars in the building, Freeman estimates the damage to be anywhere between $100,000 and $150,000.

“The way I set my insurance up, being unknowledgeable about insurance, because of the situation of the fire, I’m not,” Freeman said. “Other than like the cars that are insured, I’m in trouble.”

Freeman checked in with the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department on the investigation into the fire earlier on Tuesday as he works with insurance and plans how he’s going to bounce back.

“We want to get back up as quick as possible because a family that attends our shows house could burn down tomorrow and they’re going to call us and see if we can help,” Freeman said. “So, when you look at it like that, that’s an issue.”

News Channel 11 reached out to the police department for an update on the investigation. A spokesperson with the city said there are no updates at this time.

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