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(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

(Photo by Ted Yoakum)

TRYON — Crews from several local fire departments battled a blaze that erupted inside a Tryon antique store Friday evening.

Members of the Tryon Fire Department were dispatched to a reported structure fire at Red Dog Relics, located at 620 S. Trade St., around 5 p.m. Also responding to the fire were the Columbus and Saluda fire departments, which were dispatched automatically to the call, as well as firefighters with the Landrum Fire Department, who were called in by the Tryon department to assist.

Upon arrival, fire crews discovered heavy smoke coming from the basement of the building. While putting out the fire in the lower level of the structure, the flame spread to other parts of the building, though what Tryon Fire Chief Geoffrey Tennant believed were the walls and ceiling, he said.

Tennant believes the fire originated in the basement, but he could not confirm that fact at this time. The department does not currently know what caused the blaze.

While a person was present inside the building when the fire occurred, no one was injured in the incident.

As of around 6:45 p.m., crews had the fire largely under control, and were searching the building for any remaining flames.

At this time, Tennant believes the building is a total loss due to the damage, he said.

Also assisting crews at the scene were members of the Campobello Fire Department, Polk County EMS and the Tryon Police Department.

The building is most known as the former Tryon Pharmacy, which was in operation since the 1960s. The late Ellis Fincher Sr., pharmacist, ran Tryon Pharmacy from 1966-1991 and it was Tryon Pharmacy before that for a few years. Fincher also served as Tryon Commissioner from 1981 to 1995 and Tryon Mayor from 1995 to 1999. After Fincher’s retirement, Dr. Rick Hendriksen owned Tryon Pharmacy before selling it to U Save It Pharmacy, which was in operation for a short time.

Red Dog Relics, owned by Wanda and Tony Levister, opened at the location in March 2016.

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