Early Friday morning firefighters and Gaston County fire marshals looked over the wreckage of the Lowell Family Restaurant and the Highlander Center Washerette after an overnight fire in the 100 block of North Main Street in downtown Lowell, NC. Lowell Family Restaurant owners Amanda Aldridge and her daughter Kathy Aldridge, clearly shaken by their loss, would say only that they were thankful for the safety of the firefighters. "They performed above and beyond perfection. We are thankful for this community of men".Surrounded by charred wreckage, Highlander Center Washerette owner Ketan Paten said he planned to rebuild and reopen as soon as possible.From the steps of the Eastern Star chapter hall across the street, bystanders lamented the loss of a streetscape that had stood for decades.The building that houses the Lowell Family Restaurant and the adjoining Highlander Washerette/Dry Cleaner on North Main Street caught on fire about 10 p.m. Firefighters from at least eight different departments fought the blaze with nearly a dozen trucks, including three that sprayed water from above.Close to 100 local residents -- some on bikes, others with children on their shoulders -- watched from behind the police tape as firefighters battled the blaze. Firefighters say they thought they had brought the blaze under control quickly, but it flared up again.Finally, by midnight, crews had contained the blaze, but a smoky gray haze hung over much of the downtown area for hours. Firefighters remained at the scene overnight, dealing with hot spots.Authorities say nobody was in any of the buildings at the time of the blaze, and there were no injuries.Staff writer Steve Lyttle contributed.
