At approximately 7:08 p.m. on Tuesday night, the Pell City Fire Department (PCFD) received a call from a passerby who saw smoke billowing from the roof of Sno-White Cleaners & Laundry on Comer Avenue in Pell City.

“The first units saw smoke on the roof,” Tim Kurzejeski, PCFD Battalion Chief stated. “The fire broke through the roof on the back right corner. We forced entry and put the fire out within five minutes.”

The fire and damage were contained to the boiler room, the room of origin. The fire department is still looking at causes, but stated that it was possibly the steam pipes used in the room. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

“There is a partition between the boiler room, so nothing got into the main building,” said Sno-White Cleaners and Pell City Steakhouse owner Joe Wheeler. “We hope to be back operating on Thursday. I’ll have my electrician make sure we don’t have any shorts before we turn anything back on.” 

Wheeler has owned the property since 1962 and said that he has been very fortunate all these years. 

“The fire was quickly extinguished and we checked the rest of the structure,” Kurzejeski said. “The way I look at it, the owner still has his business so it was a good outcome. The damage was contained.” 

Officers of the Pell City Police Department were eating dinner at the Pell City Steakhouse next door, so were able to secure the scene and block a section of Comer Avenue to re-route traffic to allow the fire engines access to Sno-White Cleaners.

“They (the Pell City Fire Department) have good equipment and people with good experience,” Wheeler said. “It makes a difference.”