Heartwarming community support emerges as East Prairie businesses recover from fire tragedy

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Last month the city of East Prairie experienced a tragedy to its downtown where three buildings were damaged from a fire in the historic section on Main Street.

One business in particular that suffered damage from the fire was Sassy N Classy Boutique.

Mother-and-daughter owners Crystal Johnston and Madelynn Borders, said they were all together on that Saturday afternoon on Jan. 11 when the fire occurred.

“My daughter was at my house with her kids, and her husband,” Johnston said. “We got a call from a girl that we know about the fire, which she knew that my mom also was living upstairs above the store.”

Johnston said the girl called and reported the fire, but Johnston immediately called her mom to tell her to get out immediately.

According to Johnston, her mother did have some trouble evacuating.

“My mom is older, but the neighbor, the flower shop lady next door to us, her grandson and a police officer were able to help my mom get out,” Johnston said.

Johnston said as of right now, they are planning to have a structural engineer come out to see if building is going to be safe to get back in because the city condemned the building.

“So, the insurance is bringing in the engineer in to see if they can build those brick walls again,” Johnston said.

Johnston said many things are still uncertain.

“We still don’t know yet if the building is going to be able to be fixed, if

East Prairie Fire Chief Steve Maynard told the Standard Democrat on Jan. 13 the fire started around 5:30 p.m. Jan. 11 in the historic section of town on Main Street where two buildings on the end were destroyed. The two buildings, which are owned by the same person, were not occupied as a home or business but did contain a lot of the owner’s belongings, according to the fire chief.

Another business impacted by the fire was the East Prairie Flower Shop which was not condemned but suffered a lot of smoke damage.

Johnston said Sassy N Classy right now is still in business; they are just doing everything online and pickup orders from her husband’s trucking company in East Prairie.

“We are having a lot of pickup orders, so people are still shopping,” Johnston said. “We have been doing deliveries, too.”

Despite the tragedy, Borders said they have had a lot of support for the community.

“We have very supportive customers that are very genuine,” Borders said.

Johnston said sales have been really good considering the situation.

“We have had many people who have offered to help clean up,” Johnston said.

Borders added: “From the day of the fire up until now we have received messages and calls from people offering to do physical help when the time comes.”

Johnston said she is grateful for the community support.

A state fire marshal was called to investigate, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined.  Phone calls made to the East Prairie Fire chief on Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Wednesday, Feb. 5 were not immediately returned.