Cause of downtown fire won't be known for days
CHAMPAIGN – As cleanup neared completion Friday evening, pedestrians stopped to look at the new gap in downtown Champaign's skyline.
The Metropolitan Building, located at the southwest corner of Church and Neil streets, was destroyed by fire shortly after 5 a.m. Friday, collapsing under the flames. Because the 1870s-era building was undergoing an extensive renovation, it lacked the same fire protection features as a normal building.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is yet unknown.
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