Years of history were destoryed when bright orange flames shot toward the sky from inside the Madison Wine Shop and neighboring Village Pizza Thursday morning.
Firefighters responded to the store at 734 Boston Post Road just after 3:30 a.m. and found flames shooting through the roof of the building. The flames endured for more than two hours, leaving behind charred remains, according to fire officials.
Firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading to a nearby bank.
"We went to a defensive operation," said Madison Fire Chief Robert Kyttle. "We protected exposures on both sides of the building with six different departments responding."
Neighbors mourn the loss of Madison's finest but say they are grateful for the fire department's quick response and hard work.
"We're really going to miss them," said Madison First Selectman Fillmore McPherson. "They made great pizza and it was a great wine shop."
"This is very, very sad for all of us, but the fire department did such an amazing job with keeping it in the one building and it didn't spread any further," said Madison resident Joan Davis Clark.
No one was injured.
Madison Wine Shop's owner said he is in shock and doesn't know what his next step will be.
Officials are investigating to determine the cause of the fire.
Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com