Fire Chief Jeff Ainsworth said they are still working on determining the cause of the Stahl-Urban fire Monday night. State Fire Marshal Office investigators were on site Thursday to start their investigation. 

A fire destroyed the old Mississippi factory building that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and at one point produced 1.5 million uniforms for the military during World War II.

Ainsworth said they were obtaining video footage to help assist the investigation.

Video footage confirmed the initial report from a Lincoln County Sheriff Deputy who called in the fire. He reported the fire was in the northwest corner of the building when the flames became visible. 

The fire was called in at 6:25 p.m. Brookhaven Fire Department was dispatched at 6:26 and by then the left, or west, side of the building was engulfed in flames. At 6:31 p.m., Hog Chain Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and other volunteer departments arrived soon after. 

“We did a complete search of the floor today. We turned everything over and put out spot fires when the wind shifted today,” Ainsworth said. “The materials and debris was about a foot deep. We flipped it all over and put out any hotspots that were left. We don’t believe anyone was in there.” 

Ainsworth is not able to answer any questions about how the fire started, why it spread and what caused it. Hopefully, the State Fire Marshal’s investigation will answer those questions. 

He did say people need to keep their distance from the property. 

“I need people to stay out of there. People are trying to get scrap iron from it, it is not safe,” Ainsworth said. “We have taped it off. The walls are compromised. Stay out of there.”