ON THIS DAY IN FROSTBURG HISTORY

Reprinted from the August 17, 1969 Cumberland Evening Times

Major fire affects four businesses in Frostburg. Music shop gutted as others filled with smoke.

A fire spread quickly through two East Main Street buildings in Frostburg last night, destroying a business establishment and many of the 21 apartments, which lined the top floors of the three-story buildings. Destroyed was Vizza Music City along with its merchandise of musical instruments and amplifiers. Family Billiards, adjacent to the music store and in the same building was heavily damaged by smoke.

Stores in the second building, the newly remodeled Diamond Restaurant and the Mary Carol Shop, also suffered only smoke damage. Flames were confined to the music store and the apartments above the two interconnected buildings. Smoke was also reported to have spread through offices above the Fidelity Bank and some damage was anticipated from the activated sprinkler system in these offices.

Large crowds lined the east side of Main Street to watch smoke billowing from the apartment windows as men and equipment from the Frostburg, Clarysville, Midland, Shaft and LaVale Fire Departments brought the fire to an apparent state of control before midnight. The fire was first noticed shortly before 8pm by two youths who reported to Ronald Riley, owner-manager of Family Billiards, that flames were visible in the back of the Vizza Music City. The Frostburg Fire Department was notified, and Mr. Riley forced entry into the music store in an attempt to put out what first to be appeared to be a small fire. He was unable to do so, and when the firefighters arrived, the flames had spread through the store and to the apartments above.

Soon after their arrival, Frostburg firemen aided in the evacuation of residents of the apartments above Vizza Music. Mrs. Effie Custer, and invalid, was taken to minors hospital where she was admitted for treatment of smoke inhalation and bruises she was reported in good condition by hospital officials.