Bernard's #2 Warehouse Fire Photo Gallery by Ron P. Metcalfe at pbase.com

Bernard's #2 Warehouse Fire

CLICK HERE to watch a video of the Bernard's Warehouse #2 fire.

CLICK HERE to read and hear WGRV's complete coverage of the fire.

July 31, 2008 - August 1, 2008
Ron P. Metcalfe
WGRV News

Arson destroyed the historic Bernard's #2 Warehouse on Main Street in Greeneville, Tennessee, on Thursday, July 31, 2008. The building, owned by Greeneville businessman Kent Bewley, had just undergone extensive renovations and was going to be used as an antique car museum. Two men were charged in connection with the fire on Friday morning, August 1, 2008. For complete details, including audio clips of interviews with Kent Bewley, Greeneville Police Chief Terry Cannon, Greeneville Fire Chief Mark Foulks, and Detective Captain Terry Webb, follow the link above.

Below are images taken during the fire and the following day.

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Jory A. Ramirez, age 18, charged in connection with the Bewley Warehouse Fire	Matthew Keith Rose, age 18, charged in connection with the Bewley Warehouse Fire
Kent Bewley (right), owner of the warehouse, talks with Greeneville Police Officer Jeff Craft


	Fire Chief Mark Foulks (left) speaks with Greeneville Mayor Laraine King (center) and Police Officer Alan Dotson (right)

Trees which border the Andrew Johnson homeplace property were burned, but firefighters protected all other surrounding structure			The heat from the fire melted several street lights.
	Looking through a rear door toward Main Street.	Bricks which fell from the top of the rear wall.	Greeneville Public Works removing brick debris from College Street.
Greeneville Public Works removing brick debris from College Street.		Greeneville Fire Chief Mark Foulks surveying the fire scene.
A Greeneville firefighter atop the ladder spraying water on the hot spots	A tractor begins to knock down the rear wall, but it was decided a larger tractor should be used.	Chuck Bowlin, Supt. of Engineering (left) and GL&P Manager Bill Carroll at the fire scene

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Hurt friend		15-Apr-2010 19:17
I pray about Jory and this incident daily. He is missed. I am sorry about the warehouse.

john		01-Aug-2009 18:44
its sad this happen but as a town we must move on and look to the future of greeneville we need a mall somewhere for kids to go as well as young and old more places to eat on the ashville hwy maybe even a walmart on the south side of town greeneville put your in put down thank you

Beth Aiken Cash		31-Jan-2009 14:15
I think that the fire department did a great job on not letting the fire get out of hand.It could have burned alot more historic buildings and that would have been worse.I am sorry for Mr. Bewley"s loss but Im grateful no one was hurt.All fire departments need our support because we sure need theirs

GUEST		03-Oct-2008 06:09
SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF THE BUILDING.GOD BLESS OUR FIRE FIGHTERS. AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT.AND REMMBER THE FAMILYS OF THE BOYS. PRAY FOR ALL. GOD BLESS OUR TOWN. WE ALL NEED PRAYS . THE NEWS AND PAPER DID A GOOD JOB OF REPORTING AND PICUTERS. GOD BLESS YOU

guest		27-Aug-2008 02:19
Sometimes you cannot do the right thing such as saving a burning building. We need to keep our local firefighters in the positions of authority and stop getting outsiders to run the show. Our regular firefighters know what to do and don't need outside help....such as Cheif Foulks. They did what they could do and now downtown has a different landscape.

Concerned Friend		11-Aug-2008 19:06
Jory was a good boy who got in with the wrong crowd. You all know what its like to be young and stupid sometimes.

guest		05-Aug-2008 19:59
Citizens of Greeneville need to stand behind their Fire Dept. The City council wants to cut budget items such as manpower, equipment, and even promotions. City Recorder Jim Warner was even stated in the Greeneville Sun that some cities in Tn. still operate with only auxillary departments. Yeah! lets do that Mr. Warner! If that would have been the case the fire would have went all the way to Asbury Church, because fireman would have responded from home not from the fire stations. ....Stand by our Fireman.... you may need them to respond just as quick and work just as efficiently... from my understanding Mr.Warner lives high on a hill with poor water supply. I do believe that I would do everything I could to get them what they need. For those of you who say they should have saved the building... maybe they could have if they had better equipment and more manpower...I say they did a outstanding job.

guest		05-Aug-2008 19:46
great job GFD

Guest		04-Aug-2008 13:21
I was talking to my Dad about the fair and he said the last Greene Co. Fair he went to was in that warehouse.

Guest		03-Aug-2008 20:51
So sorry about the fire.

Larry Hogan		01-Aug-2008 21:56
The scriptures tell us not to lay up treasures on Earth where they will surely pass away. Although this wonderful Greeneville and Greene County treasure has now past, the memories that some of us have will never pass away. I am a life-long resident of Greene County, sixty years of age and have many memories of this old warehouse. As a young man I was a 4-H Club member with show cows. I have actually slept in this old warehouse on more than one occasion since the 4-H Fair was held there.I remember being awakened on one occasion just as a young heifer leaped directly across where I was sleeping. She had gotten loose and was headed for home I guess. With the help of a dear older man who was there as a caretaker we rounded her up and returned her to her stall. I used to be reminded of that event each time I passed the old warehouse. I think now I still will be reminded as I pass. The building may be gone from town, but not from our minds. Thank God for the memories and people like Mr. Bewley who try to preserve them.

VIOLA ROLLINS		01-Aug-2008 18:15
BORN AND RAISED IN THIS TOWN AND BEING 80 YEARS OLD THAT WAREHOUSE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT FOR MANY YEARS WHEN COMING INTO TOWN IT WAS ABOUT THE FIRST THING YOU SAW DRIVING DOWN MAIN STREET WHICH BECAME A LANDMARK AND A PART OF GREENEVILLE THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED I AM SO SORRY IT IS GONE,AND THE LOSS OF MR BEWLEY,WHICH IS GREAT BUT I AM SO GREATFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS TERRABLE ORDEAL THANKS TO EVERONE THAT DID A GREAT JOB ON THE FIRE CONTROL

Kathy Baker		01-Aug-2008 16:09
I'm sorry the warehouse burned and glad nothing else did. I hope the men who set the fire are proscuted to full extent of federal law. I'm so mad that they would destroy our history.

Guest		01-Aug-2008 03:36
Thanks for everything the fire department did . Its true what they say THEY FIGHT WHAT WE FEAR!!! THANK YOU GOD BLESS YOU

guest		01-Aug-2008 02:37
I'm so sorry for the loss of the old warehouse structure - a building that was once a vital part of a thriving downtown Greeneville. And I am so sorry for Mr. Bewley's loss, as well as for the loss of what the structure might have meant to the community. Mr Bewley's dream, and that of a few others, would have brought yet another site of interest to tempt the tourist dollar into a sagging economy. Our blessings are that no one was injured, that the historic Andrew Johnson Homestead itself was not damaged, and that none of the antique cars - nor any or the Nathaniel Greene Museum artifacts - were in-house at the time of the fire. Thank you to all who fought the blaze and kept it contained. Thank you to the Greeneville Light and Power workers who retored power so quickly. If this was indeed arson - shame on you.

Guest		01-Aug-2008 02:12
For those who say "we" should have saved the building..I do not recall seeing you on the end of the attack line. Risk much to save much, risk little to save little. The building was not worth losing a life....

Guest		31-Jul-2008 23:53
First off the Fire Department did all they could do considering when they received the fire call... Pretty bad no one called in the fire until it was fully engulfed... Therefore it was not the fire departments fault the building was not safed... Everyone should thank the firemen that did show up... That may be your house one day, so stop complaining and be thankful no homes were lost, nor the Andrew Johnson home... Thanks to all the fireman who did put their lives on the line!

ron jones		31-Jul-2008 22:10
thanks to the fire department,it could have been a lot worst,we could have lost andrew johnson's homestead too.my hats off to everyone involved in a great effort.and so glad that no one was hurt.i'm also sorry to you kent for losing that dream,hope you will find some place else to open your car museum,was looking forward to it.would have been a great boost to the downtown.

Samatha		31-Jul-2008 21:37
Great coverage. GREAT photos!!!!

Guest		31-Jul-2008 20:29
I didn't get the impression that the fire department didn't try to save the warehouse but that their efforts were concentrated on preventing the spread of the fire to the Andrew Johnson home. My son is a fireman who was on the seen risking his life and jepordizing the future of his wife and children. Isn't it sad that the thanks the firemen and emergency workers receive is in the form of a complaint about the building not being saved. Kent Bewley has the Greeneville Spirit and anyone who knows him knows that he would much rather save the Andrew Johnson Home than risk someone loosing their life to fight a fire which had already grown to large to be adquately brought under control with our current resources. Lets leave the decisions in fire fighting to Fire Chief Foulks and our volunteer departments.

Guest		31-Jul-2008 20:29
I didn't get the impression that the fire department didn't try to save the warehouse but that their efforts were concentrated on preventing the spread of the fire to the Andrew Johnson home. My son is a fireman who was on the seen risking his life and jepordizing the future of his wife and children. Isn't it sad that the thanks the firemen and emergency workers receive is in the form of a complaint about the building not being saved. Kent Bewley has the Greeneville Spirit and anyone who knows him knows that he would much rather save the Andrew Johnson Home than risk someone loosing their life to fight a fire which had already grown to large to be adquately brought under control with our current resources. Lets leave the decisions in fire fighting to Fire Chief Foulks and our volunteer departments.

B J GRIFFIN		31-Jul-2008 17:57
Thanks for your coverage of the fire,you did a good job.

Guest		31-Jul-2008 15:38
Should have tried to save the building?! Did your mother have any children that lived?

Wanda Ricker		31-Jul-2008 15:24
Reminiscent of fire at West Main St. warehouse several years ago. A real shame to loose a historic building. We are loosing so many in the country to "Development". Wonderful photography.

Guest		31-Jul-2008 15:08
Fire department should have tried to save the building.

James Gregg		31-Jul-2008 14:45
Great Photos but very sorry the historical building is so heavely damaged.

Marsha Price		31-Jul-2008 13:12
Wow that is some good footage. I am glad our fire department was on the ball. Sorry Kent, I know you were making big plans for that building. M Price

Southerland		31-Jul-2008 12:04
Very,very good

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