Fire Damages Van Buren Landmark

VAN BUREN, Ark -- Fire investigators said they plan to spend the weekend trying to find out what started a fire that damaged the historic King Opera House in Van Buren.

Crews got to the scene of the fire quickly on Friday night and used ladder trucks to pump steady streams of water into the building. They said they aren't sure how badly damaged it is on the inside.

The Opera House was undergoing renovations and work on a new roof was just completed Friday. Investigators said they aren't sure if that project had anything to do with the fire, which they think started in the stage area.

"I saw flames, but it was smoking a lot," said Van Buren resident Leah Carter. She lives across the street from the building and was one of the first to call 911.

Carter said the building is a special part of her life.

"I grew up doing plays in that building, so yeah, my heart did sink," she said.

The King Opera House has been part of the community since the 1800s.

"It was originally a theater," said Van Buren Mayor Bob Freeman. "It fell into disrepair and sometime in the '80s, it underwent a remodel."

It has been undergoing renovation, remodels and improvements ever since.

The city of Van Buren owns the opera house. Leaders said they're anxious to learn how bad the damage is on the inside.