JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A fire that destroyed a Jacksonville furniture store has been ruled an accident.
The Jacksonville Fire Department says it completed today the investigation into the June 3rd fire at Furniture Plus on North Marine Boulevard.
The investigation shows the fire was accidental and caused by “the improper disposal of smoking materials.”
The afternoon fire appeared to have started in a warehouse located behind the store.
WITN reported last week that six weeks before the blaze, city fire inspectors visited the store.
In an April 21st inspection report, a fire inspector said that excessive stock was creating an “onsite storage issue.”
The report said the store failed the fire code, which prohibits combustible waste material from accumulating in buildings.
Five firefighters were injured in battling the June 3rd blaze.
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