UPDATE: Aggieville Fire Ruled Accidental

Investigators have determined that a fire in the Aggieville bar and shopping district near the Kansas State University campus was accidental.

The Manhattan Fire Department says in a news release that floor finishing materials sparked the blaze. The fire was reported around 3:45 a.m. Thursday in a building that had housed a bookstore called the Dusty Bookshelf and was being renovated into another business. Thirty firefighters fought the blaze before it was extinguished about four hours later. No one was hurt.

The fire also caused smoke damage to adjoining businesses that sell doughnuts and T-shirts. A cat was rescued from one of the businesses.

Investigators estimated $673,000 in damages to the former Dusty Bookshelf building and its contents. Another $149,000 in damages occurred in the other two buildings.

 

ORIGINAL: Crews are battling a fire in the Aggieville bar and shopping district near the Kansas State University campus.

The Manhattan Fire Department said in a post early Thursday on its Facebook page that the fire was in a building that had housed a bookstore called the Dusty Bookshelf. The building was vacant and being renovated. Photos on the department’s Facebook page shows flames shooting out of the building.

No information was immediately available about what started the fire.

Riley County police are urging people to avoid the popular area.