WORCESTER, Mass. - The retail building that used to sit on the corner of Pleasant Street and Richmond Avenue in Worcester is completely gone after a multi-alarm fire Monday night.
Right across the street, George and Maria Makos own Pleasant Market. They called 911 around 6:00 p.m. after seeing heavy smoke coming from the building. There was so much smoke, they said, it was coming into their store and they had to close early.
The retail space was the home of Worcester Flower Shop and U-Home Decor. From one small business to another, the couple said its a major loss for the neighborhood.
"Good people, they are good people," Maria Makos said. "The flower shop, they work so hard. She cried last night."
"I know the people who own the building, they are good friends of mine," George Makos said. "So a nice guy you know, so we feel sorry about the business people."
Spectrum News 1 talked to the owner of the building Tuesday morning, who said he bought the building five years ago with his wife. He isn't sure what caused the fire yet, crews are still investigating, but he said it started it in the basement.
The Worcester Fire Department said one firefighter was taken to the hospital for observation and three more suffered injuries.