Major blaze destroys 4 Exira businesses

A major fire that started early Friday morning destroyed four businesses in Exira, a small town in western Iowa.

The blaze began just before 2:30 a.m. Friday at Uncle Jerry's bar, 100 W. Washington St., Gene Schmeling of the Atlantic Fire Department confirmed.

More than 24 area fire departments battled the blaze, including Atlantic's.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said his volunteer fire department brought 13 firefighters to the scene and used 400,000 gallons of water.

"It was by far a record for us," McNees said.

In the morning, the fire spread to nearby businesses, including a hardwood floor and decor store, a gift shop called Gabby's and Crabby's Place, and a building where a local psychologist lived.

The owner of Uncle Jerry's smelled the smoke from the bar shortly before he exited that morning, McNees said. The psychologist, who was in a wheelchair, was also rescued from the building. No injuries were reported.

Responding firefighters struggled with having enough water to control the flames, McNees said. The majority of the responding fire departments were there to bring water tankers.

He said Atlantic firefighters were at the scene for 12 hours, while Exira firefighters were still on the scene as of 5:30 p.m. 

"It was a long haul for them," McNees said.

Around 5:30 a.m., Andrea Crane said she and her husband, Gene, heard sirens just a block away.

What they saw outside their home was shocking: Their business, Gabby and Crabby’s Place, was on fire.

“We lost everything,” Crane said.

They watched as firefighters tried to save the store she and her husband dedicated themselves to, only for it to go up in flames.

All that was left were three trinkets found a block away at the local church that washed away while firefighters tried to save the building.

Gabby and Crabby’s is a local gift shop that also serves coffee. On May 20, the couple had celebrated the first anniversary for the store.

It was filled with local handmade items. Her husband would craft tables and shelves from wood. She was a painter. Local artists would bring in their work.

“It’s just so much,” Crane said. “We never lost anything like this.”

Crane said the building was built in 1890.

One night, the couple was watching television before they opened the store. Her husband started talking to her while she was watching her show and she asked him why he was so gabby. He asked her why she was so crabby.

The name stuck.

Crane said her husband spent a significant amount of time renovating the store. They also brought keepsakes from their house to make the place feel “homey.”

“It was a really great place. People loved coming there,” Crane said. “Our pastor put puzzles together there. It was just a place to get away from whatever.”

While it hurts that they lost everything, she said the community and the firefighters have shown them support.

“They worked so hard trying to get those fires out,” Crane said. “We both just loved being there.”