Coweta Farmers Co-Op plans to reopen after devastating fire

A Coweta business is recovering after a fire destroyed parts of its building. Coweta Fire says the cause is still under investigation. 

Coweta Farmers Co-Op 

The co-op has been supplying farmers and ranchers since 1951, offering everything from fertilizer to feed to machinery. Now smoke-stained walls, charred posters, and a closed sign are some of what's left. 

An Unexpected Phone Call

Store manager Jon Harmon had just left the store on Feb. 7th, when his phone started to ring. He said a manager of a nearby restaurant saw the smoke around 5:30 in the evening and called it in.

He then called Harmon and told him the building was on fire. Coweta and several other agencies responded and quickly contained the fire. 

“I had multiple customers call me, and I knew something was wrong," said Harmon. 

Extent of the Damage

The fire broke out just behind Harmon's office. The majority of the damage is in the store's warehouse which stocks feed, fertilizer, hay, straw and more.

In addition to scorched walls and a blackened interior, the roof and some steel beams also need to be replaced, and the electricity is out.

Harmon says it's basically a complete loss. However, the storefront, for the most part, was untouched, and no one was in the store at the time of the fire. 

Next Steps

Since the front of the store isn't too bad, Harmon says the first priority is to get the electricity back on so they can at least start selling some things again.

The business is currently working with insurance for the next steps. Unfortunately, customers who depend on the store are temporarily going to have to travel elsewhere to get what they need.