This image of the fire at Danville's Long Mill was taken from the south end of the Union Street Bridge around 4:45 p.m. It is the first of this sequence of photographs.
Flames are seen in the debris pile in the foreground, in the interior of the Long Mill building, and along the roof.
A large smoke plume is being produced.
A few minutes later, from near the north end of the Union Street Bridge, the detail of the fire is more evident.
Within a few more minutes the fire has greatly intensified. The roof is peeling back on the east (far) end. A fireman moves up the ladder to position himself for directing water onto and around the west wall of the building. Although fire is raging in the upper floors and at the roof of the building at this point, no fire can yet be seen through the windows of the ground floor.
The fireman is now above the inferno.
The entire roof is now aflame, and fire has spread to another building at upper left. Fire is also now visible through the first floor windows of the Long Mill.
By around 5:30 p.m., the west (near) wall has collapsed and the roof is open.
View of the fire scene from the south end of Union Street Bridge, around 5:45 p.m.
This guide to Danville, Virginia is sponsored by Mitchells Publications. Photos are by Henry H. Mitchell (all rights reserved).
Copyright © 2008 Patricia B. Mitchell.