UNION CHURCH – A historic structure dating back to before theCivil War was a total loss in a Wednesday morning fire at thepopular store on Highway 550, said Jefferson County FireCoordinator Tracy Collins.

The fire at Varnado’s Grocery, also known as the Union Churchstore, at the intersection of Highway 28 was reported at 10:10 a.m.Firefighters from the Union Church and Fayette volunteer firedepartments arrived at 10:25 a.m. and were on scene into theafternoon.

“That was a historic landmark,” Collins said. “We’re so sad tohave lost that.”

Collins said he did not know if the owner would try to rebuild.He said the current owner had been in there 32 years, but thebuilding dated to the 1840s.

“Parts of it were erected before the Civil War,” Collinssaid.

While there were no injuries, Collins said the greatest propertyloss was a historic Civil War war wagon in the store. He said itwas priceless and irreplaceable.

Collins commended fire fighting efforts that kept the fire fromthreatening surrounding areas.

“The biggest danger was two propane tanks in the back,” Collinssaid. “They did a good job of keeping those cooled down. That couldhave been a disaster.”

Collins said the Union Church fire was one of three firesWednesday, which he said is unusual for the rural county. There wasanother structure fire and a woods fire.

The cause of the Union Church fire was not known, but Collinssaid it is believed to have started in the back of the building. Hesaid he would be speaking with the owner and the sheriff’sdepartment.

“At this time, we’re not going to ask for an investigation,”Collins said.