Feds, SLED join fire probe

Investigators from the Gaffney Police Department removed armfuls of alleged gambling tickets from the scene of a Tuesday morning fire that destroyed the former Sco-Mar textiles outlet on East Robinson Street. Here officers can be seen bagging paperwork they removed from the scene and placed in the back of a truck. The owner of the building, Mike Childers, 58, was subsequently booked on a charge of possession of gambling devices. The cause of the fire had not been determined as of Tuesday afternoon. (Ledger photos / TIM GULLA) As bleary firefighters continued to douse hot spots and flare-ups at the scene of a massive fire hours after it broke out early Tuesday on East Robinson Street, SLED, Gaffney Police and even a federal investigator were searching for clues as to what might have sparked the blaze.

While a probable cause of the fire wasn't announced Tuesday, police said they found other evidence that led to the arrest of the building's owner, 58-year-old Mike Childers.

Police removed armfuls of alleged gambling tickets from an office on the west side of the building late Tuesday morning.

An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was among the authorities on the scene. Gaffney Police Chief Rick Turner subsequently confirmed Childers was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center on a charge of possession of gambling devices.

A warrant had not been served as of Tuesday afternoon. Turner said all indications were that a warrant would be filed Wednesday morning. Childers remained at the Cherokee County prison as of Tuesday evening.

The fire broke out at approximately midnight. City of Gaffney firefighters found two trailers near the loading dock to the building engulfed in flames, according to Gaffney Fire Capt. Robert Grigg.

Grigg said firefighters soon discovered heavy smoke and fire inside the building as well. The large commercial building was loaded with bundles of denselypacked cloth and material, making for a fire that was hard to attack.

"Due to the age of the building and the fire load, we went into defensive operations to protect exposure and surrounding structures," Grigg said.

It took several hours to put the largest of the flames out but the work of Gaffney firefighters was far from finished as they remained at the scene for many hours to continue dousing hot spots and flare-ups. They didn't officially clear the scene until Tuesday afternoon. Some members of the department were expected to continue monitoring the property.

Grigg said the Gaffney Fire Department and the Gaffney Police Department mutually requested the assistance of SLED fire investigators at the scene and that the cause of the fire was under investigation.

In addition to SLED, an employee of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was on the scene.

There was no official word regarding why the ATF might have paid a visit.

Due to the size of the blaze, numerous area fire departments were called in for extra manpower, including Corinth Volunteer Fire Department, Grassy Pond Volunteer Fire Department and Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department.

Hoses were stretched from two hydrants on East Frederick Street across the road to the fire scene, forcing the closure of East Frederick Street from the Cherokee County Law Enforcement Center to the Gaffney Board of Public Works throughout the night and most of Tuesday.

Cherokee County Emergency Preparedness Director Rick Peterson, who spent almost the entire night at the scene, said a county backhoe was called in help pull down some of the walls.

"If we had gone in the building, it's highly possible those walls could have fell," he said. "We had to get those out of the way."

Grigg said no injuries were reported.

The property was listed for sale at $134,900, according to an online advertisement.

A sign for Cherokee Realty had been placed in the front window of the building.

The online advertisement listed the property as 11,853 square feet with warehousing and loading docks.

It was unclear how long the building had been for sale.

Another business called J&J Wiping reportedly was leasing space in the back of the building.