Fire damages a Peru business

A fire that badly damaged an insurance office in Peru was an accident. Dark smoke poured from the back of Suarez and Associates while firefighters cut holes into the roof and side of the building.

The office closed at 12pm Thursday and the fire was discovered around 1:30pm by Peru Fire Chief Jeff King. King says he was passing by and noticed smoke. Soon firefighters from Peru and surrounding towns were working to put the fire out.

King says surveillance video shows the fire starting in a box used to catch cigarette butts outside the back. He believes a butt caught the box on fire and it spread to the building.

He recommends you use a material that won’t burn to hold cigarette butts.