The mayor of Murray says even before Wednesday morning’s downtown fire, the city was working to define its role in maintaining buildings there. The fire damaged three businesses and prompted temporary closures of many others; no one was injured.
Mayor Bill Wells says city government does play a role downtown but a September meeting with the Kentucky League of Cities will better define how it can work with property owners within state laws.
“Anytime that you have a building that has structural damage, whether it’s age or fire or whatever it may be it’s a concern. But more than just being a concern it’s gotta make sure the citizens and the owners of those buildings are in a safe situation," said Wells. "And so far, I guess I should knock on wood, that’s been the case.”
Wednesday morning’s fire was the third major structural problem to downtown Murray buildings in the last three months. Previous incidents included a collapsed building and partial roof collapse of another.
Murray Main Street Director Deana Wright says downtown fires have happened before, including one in the 1990s at a location where a new bakery is now thriving. Wright says maintenance is not the city’s responsibility, although Murray officials do ensure safety in the case of fires or collapses.
“It’s the private individual’s responsibility to take care of their building just like their house,” she said. “If you own a house out in the county, the judge, or if you own a house in the city, the mayor is not going to tell you how to take care of your house. And that is true downtown as well.”