Piece of history gone in Montville fire

Montville, Conn. (WTNH) - The fire that destroyed several Montville businesses is under investigation.

It happened early Tuesday morning on Chapel Hill Road.

When the fire ripped through the Oakdale Plaza it did more than destroy businesses, it destroyed a piece of history for this Montville neighborhood, which is why so many people kept gathering all day.

“There used to be a grocery store and a pharmacy and this place and now…,” said Kimberlee Roe trying to hold back tears.

Roe grew up in this Oakdale neighborhood and got choked up thinking of a childhood filled with fond memories. Her first trip to the store was to this plaza, now destroyed by an early morning fire.

Fighting the blaze was made more difficult because water had to be trucked in. A bridge under repair forced some firefighters to take the long way around.

News 8’s Tina Detelj: “How is it for you to today to see the destruction here?”

Kimberlee Roe: “I cried a lot. It's just part of our history this was the first place to go.”

Meanwhile, Dotty Yaworski was set to open the Oakdale Bar & Café where the fire is believed to have started.

“Well it's very, very heartbreaking,” she said.

With her new business completely destroyed, she sits across the street surrounded by family and friends for support.

“It will never be the same, but I want things back of course,” Kimberlee Roe went on.

More than a strip mall, the plaza in the remote section of Montville was a center of activity and is now a source of sadness.

Many folks are wondering what will happen next. Will these businesses rebuild? Will it ever be the same?