FIRE DESTROYS COPPER LAMP

Our precious Copper Lamp, Creative Stitches and Gifts, Preston Royal Barbers, the National Council of Jewish Women and a host of small businesses in the Preston Royal Shopping Center suffered severe fire damage last night when a car plunged through a store window, exploded and burned. The driver, an elderly man, had suffered a heart attack while driving in the parking lot of the shopping center, located on the north east corner of Preston and Royal Lanes. He lost control of his car, accidentally hit the accelerator and the car just rammed the front windows of the Copper Lamp — going all the way through the building where the car exploded. This all happened about 8:30 p.m. last night. I have just returned from the scene — spoke to a few proprietors who tell me that Copper Lamp is just gone. (However, the Blackman Mooring rep who was just arriving on the scene said “we can do miracles”.) The elderly man — age 77 I was told — died in the explosion. We are friends with the proprietor of the Radio Shack adjacent to these stores, and they are in the process of clearing and cleaning severe smoke damage.

One of the proprietors I spoke with said the barber shop and The Copper Lamp sustained the worst damage. I will check back, get some pics, and keep you posted on the fate of Copper Lamp’s fabulous inventory of antique silver… we know the owners, having met them about a year ago at a tiny barbecue stop near Waco when we were both en route from football games at Trinity and UT. That’s when I learned they were going to make the move from Old Town to Preston Royal… we exchanged cards and have kept in touch. My heart goes out to this family.