COVINGTON, Ga. — The historic Covington Square is reeling from a devastating fire that erupted late last night during a community movie night, according to city officials.
It happened as the City of Covington was hosting an outdoor movie night featuring "Remember the Titans," a film shot on location at the square. City officials said that attendees enjoying the movie became alarmed when the scent of smoke filled the air. Promptly, they called, alerting authorities to the emergent situation.
Crews from Covington, DeKalb County, and Atlanta worked overnight to battle the flames that consumed several businesses within the area.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported due to the fire. However, the blaze caused extensive damage to at least four businesses in the affected building. Authorities fear that all four businesses may be deemed a total loss.
"This is devastating," Ken Malcom said, a representative from the City of Covington. "There were businesses that had been thriving for years, and now they are gone."
Blaze strikes historic Covington Square during 'Remember the Titans' movie night
The impact of the fire extends beyond the immediate loss, with many of the buildings within the square dating back 100 to 200 years; they hold a holistic oral significance to the city.
While fire officials were working to determine the cause of the fire, the city's interim fire chief announced that the entire block would be cordoned off.