Investigators are probing a suspicious fire early Sunday that destroyed a vacant doctor’s office and apartment building on West Robinson Street. Gaffney firefighters responded at 1:30 a.m. and were still using a ladder truck to douse hot spots at 10 a.m. (Ledger photo / SCOTT POWELL) By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

Authorities are investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed a vacant doctor’s office and apartment Sunday morning.

Flames were shooting through the roof when the Gaffney Fire Department arrived at the site of the former Gaffney Children’s Clinic.

Gaffney firefighters were alerted to the fire on West Robinson Street at 1:30 a.m. and were still on the scene putting out hot spots nine hours later.

Gaffney Fire Chief Nathan Ellis said the building is a total loss. The blaze, he said, is being investigated as a suspicious fire.

“The fire started by burning the stairs with what we guess was garbage and yard debris. The staircase was constructed in such a way that it acted like a chimney and took the fire right through the second floor,” Ellis said. “The fire had already broken through the roof when we got there. We tried to do an interior attack, but it was too dangerous.”

The Gaffney Fire Department and Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department used ladder trucks to battle the fire. Grassy Pond Volunteer Fire Department also responded.

The Corinth Volunteer Fire Department was placed on standby in the event another emergency occurred.

The building is owned by Raj Kahn, the husband of Dr. Shahina Khan, whose practice was formerly located in the building. The structure had been vacant for 18 months. It contained a 2,500 square-foot apartment as well as the doctor’s office.

Khan had phased out her medical practice and stopped treating patients in the West Robinson Street location two years ago. Ellis said the doctor’s office was still fully furnished.

While there were “For Sale” signs on the property, the Gaffney fire chief said the building was secure and had not been occupied recently.

“There was no power in the building. The utilities had been disconnected,” Ellis said. “There was no evidence any vagrants were staying there. There were no mattresses, beer bottles or other signs someone had been there.”