Fire destroys former florist shop on DeYoung Street

MARION - Brenda Lawler-Futch could only watch and reminisce Sunday morning, just hours after her former florist business, We 3 Girls, burned to the ground.

The business, now closed, was at 509 W. DeYoung St. It was in flames when firefighters got there at about 4:30 a.m. with three engines and two aerial devices, said Assistant Marion Fire Chief Tim Stotlar.

Despite all the assistance - Williamson County, Lake of Egypt, Herrin, Carterville and Goreville all came to help - the building could not be saved.

Lawler-Futch said passers-by were asking how it happened, but she said she was as bewildered as anyone.

"I don't know, I don't know," she said.

"A neighbor called me about 5 a.m. and told me the fire department was at the store," she said. "I was told it was fully engulfed and was still burning when I got there."

We 3 Girls was named for Lawler-Futch and her two daughters, Rachel and April.

"We were open for a short season, and was closed again because I had sold all the inventory out," she said. "I have some health issues that I have to have taken care of, so that was a hard enough decision."

Lawler-Futch said there were no floral arrangements inside the facility that still needed delivery. All her paperwork is gone.

"But no one was hurt." she added. "I'm just glad there were no helium tanks in there to blow up."

"I have no building, but I am here and am OK, and the firemen are OK. They did a great job."

Stotlar said that altogether about 45 firefighters worked the fire, about 25 of them from the Marion department. The state fire marshal's office will come in to try to determine how the fire started, he added.

Ironically, firefighters were in the process of finishing up a fire call at 805 N. Vicksburg St., a vacant home, when they got the call about the florist shop fire.

Lawler-Futch said she wonder if there is a message for her.

"I really feel like God knows how much I love my customers and how much my customers love me - not that He did this - but I really think sometimes He closes a door when He wants us to take care of ourselves and do other things."

She said now it's about waiting for the insurance investigator to come, and then hiring someone to demolish and clear off what's left.

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