NEWPORT, AR (KAIT) – Firefighters arrived back on the scene
of a fire that broke out at a Newport pharmacy, but the rekindled flames were
extinguished around 6 p.m. Friday.
The Newport Fire Department responded twice to heavy smoke
coming from Darling Pharmacy, located at 1303 McLain Street in Newport.
Despite the recent flare-up, the pharmacy has already found
a temporary location to open to customers. Co-owner Jamie Darling says the
pharmacy will likely be back up and running Monday morning.
"We will be relocating Monday morning for the pharmacy at
the old Guinn & Monday hardware store on Malcolm Avenue," Darling said,
adding: "But Darling's Fine Things is fine. We'll still be open."
Firefighters received a call around seven Friday morning
after someone spotted flames shooting from the front of the pharmacy. No one
was injured during the fire, which was likely caused by an electrical problem.
"I think it's probably going to be a total loss because
there's so much water and smoke damage," Darling said. "We'll be on it and be
back open in this location again soon."
Darling struggled to remain positive after the fire closed
down her father's pharmacy, which has served the Newport community for 75
years. She is heartened by plans to relocate the pharmacy from McLain Street to
the vacant hardware store on Malcolm Avenue.
"We are very grateful to all of our friends in Northeast
Arkansas who have sent calls and text messages and all the wish wishes,"
Darling said, "so we appreciate that very much."
Darling's Fine Things, the retail portion of the store, will
stay open after suffering only minor smoke damage. Harris Home Health had to
move to the Harris Hospital Professional Building down the street because of water
and smoke damage.
"Okay, now what are we going to do?" Peggy Morgan thought
after watching firefighters douse the flames. "Where are we going to go? We
have patients to see."
Morgan is the clinical supervisor for Harris Home Health,
and it was her responsibility to follow
the organization's disaster plan. She spent the afternoon Friday calling all
the local doctors and more than 75 patients, alerting them to the organization's
relocation.
"We're going to still be out there seeing patients, open for
business," Morgan added. "Nothing has changed. We're still doing everything
that we were doing before."
Harris Home Health asks patients to call 870-512-3081 if
they have any questions.
Darling also advises customers to use other local pharmacies
in case of an emergency, but the pharmacy is tentatively scheduled to reopen
Monday on Malcolm Avenue.
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