North Carolina Abortion Center Closed for One Month After Non-Arson Fire

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 19, 2008   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

North Carolina Abortion Center Closed for One Month After Non-Arson Fire Email this article
Printer friendly page

RSS Newsfeed

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 19
, 2008

Asheville, NC (LifeNews.com) — The Planned Parenthood abortion center in Asheville, North Carolina will be closed for one month following a fire that damaged the facility over the weekend. According to reports from officials, the fire stared when an explosion occurred in a room housing a heater and no arson or other foul play was involved.

Jeff Tracz, an investigator with the Asheville-Buncombe Arson Task Force, told the Asheville Citizen Times that paint or other materials may have gotten into the heating unit and caused the blaze.

They found no sign of a break in and are still trying to isolate the case.

The damages are estimated to have cost $100,000 and it will take a month for Planned Parenthood officials to clean up the smoke and water damage before they can reopen and another three months to clean the second floor of the building, where the fire started.

Planned Parenthood manager Lori Thornton told the Citizen Times about the damage.

“Everything is covered in soot and paint is pealing off the wall, the fire damage is pretty extensive in the back of building,” Thornton said.

Thornton said the abortion center is looking for a temporary home and is referring women in crisis pregnancy situations to the Planned Parenthood centers in Charlotte and South Carolina.

“We’re committed to getting back up and running as soon as possible,” Thornton told the newspaper.

Pregnant women looking for more tangible help and assistance can find it at the Asheville Pregnancy Support Services, which provides pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, maternity and infant clothes, baby needs and other help.