Cleanup is underway, however, full damage estimates are still pending after a minor fire inside the historic Regal Plumb Saturday afternoon.
The fire was reported around 3:15 pm triggering a response from Emporia Fire as well as Olpe and Americus who were both canceled en route. The fire was contained to the roof of the home’s library and developed after soldering work to repair the copper roof that caught nearby insulation on fire.
Regal Plumb Owner Chris Stanley tells KVOE News interior and exterior damage from the fire itself was relatively minor, however, firefighting efforts did lead to several books, including some of Preston Plumb’s own lawbooks, being water damaged.
Stanley says she contacted Stover’s restoration who arrived and assessed the damage Saturday before clean-up efforts began Sunday.
Stanley says estimates to restore the damaged books have ranged between $3,000 to $6,000, however, an estimate on damage to the roof itself is still pending. Stanley says she hopes to have insurance adjusters on site sometime before midweek.
The roof repair project is being put on hold for the time being due in part to the fire, weather conditions — specifically forecasts calling for rain through Monday — and a desire to find another way to complete the project other than soldering. The Regal Plumb, also known as Plumb Place, was put on the National Register of Historic Places and the Kansas Register of Historic Places as part of separate actions in 1984.
