Warehouse gutted by four-alarm fire

HOUSTON The blaze at the warehouse on South Rice near Glenmont started at around 8:30pm. It took more than 100 firefighters to fight it. They still had a rough time dealing with the flames, mainly because the furniture in warehouse belonging to Carroll's Discount Office Furniture was stacked around 25 feet high on shelving.

Carroll's Discount Office Furniture store has been part of Houston since 1972.

"We don't know what started it or what would have started it back there," said the owner's daughter, Lori Smelley.

"The chief told us the back of the warehouse was completely gone. That is where our inventory is," said business owner Gay Carroll. "The middle warehouse is gone, but the fire wall that we built just a year ago kept the smoke from coming to the front. All of our computers are in the front. The life of our business is on our computers and they are OK."

The family plans to continue doing business. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The fire has been ruled accidental.

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