Columbia Theatre in Portsmouth, OH Burns

posted by TonyRutherford on November 13, 2007 at 7:50 am

PORTSMOUTH, OH — Fire destroyed the 1912 Columbia Theatre in Portsmouth, Ohio, early Sunday morning. The theatre had been renovated as a music venue and was operating as the Columbia Music Hall. Although the owners have vowed to rebuild, the entire roof has been destroyed. The ATF will be investigating, although the fire has not yet been labeled suspicious.

A large portion of the last remaining former single screen downtown movie theatre burned early Sunday morning, Nov. 11. Four fire departments battled flames starting around 3 a.m.

The Columbia Theatre, 832 Gallia Street, which had been renovated over the course of five years at a cost in the millions, became the Columbia Music Hall in 2006. The Music Hall suffered extensive damage particularly to the stage area, according to Robert Forrey, a retired Shawnee State University professor, who compiled a documentary on the showplace. The professor’s evaluation came from a drive around the structure early Sunday evening. He said the rear roof has collapsed and most of the renovated and “finer” portions have been gutted. He has not been inside the remains of the structure.

Read the full story at Huntington News.