Graber Industries digs out from rubble after blaze

Fire destroy several Graber Industry buildings June 24.

It likely was an electrical fire, said Ben Clark, co-owner of the RV surplus business on Fairchild Road in Constantine.

Earlier report:Massive fire destroys buildings at Graber Industries

On Wednesday, Clark and a group of longtime friends were cleaning up the aftermath. Lee Carr of Nottawa also was at  he site. He had stopped for a few supplies from the barns that hadn't burned.

Carr handed some cash to Clark, who was driving a skid-steer loader.

“You’re my first customer,” Clark told him.

Carr also may have been the last customer prior to the fire. He came early June 24 for supplies — he does that frequently. He met Clark who was headed out to pickup an order.

“Ben told me to get what I wanted and we’d settle up later,” Carr said.

He made a pile of boards, but had to go home for a larger vehicle. Carr was home only minutes before a family member called saying, “Do you know Graber’s is burning?”

Carr was stunned.

“I said ‘What? I was just there!’” 

He has a long history with the business.

"I've been coming out here for years. I knew his grandparents — Erv and Beulah," Carr said.

Graber Industries is a family business started by Ervin and Beulah Graber. 

“We’ve been here over 60 years,” Clark said. “The stories I got was it started because Grandma wanted siding and windows for the house. Grandpa was a farmer. The next thing he knew she was selling out of the barn right here.”

One of several not destroyed by the blaze.

“We’re kind of back to the same place,” Clark said.

He might rebuild what burned, but not immediately. Clark's focus is clean-up of the site.

He is getting help with that task. Several friends were getting sooty as they dug through the rubble and loaded heat twisted metal into a dumpster.

Around them, smoke continued to rise.

"You can still smell it clear down to (M-86)," Carr said.

Another friend was fixing a privacy fence torn away by firefighter while extinguishing the fire. Surrounding the rubble are trees, chard but still standing.

Clark hopes to be back in business soon. In the meantime, customers may contact him on Facebook, bit.ly/3QYUfkU, or call (269) 279-5288. 

If all goes well, Clark hopes to re-open in a couple of months.

It isn't soon enough for Carr, who still can’t get over loss.

“I can’t tell you all I’ve built from here,” Carr said. “I’m really mourning it.”