Fire Tears Through Several Woburn Businesses

WOBURN (CBS) -- A three-alarm fire destroyed a building housing several stores at Union and Main Streets in Woburn Tuesday afternoon.

Officials say the fire started at Turf Time, an indoor soccer facility.

"You couldn't help but see it coming out of the door and then all of a sudden it came out all over," said Leland Branch who was driving by at the time. Branch pulled over and knocked on doors to alert people of the fire.

"The fire went right through the roof," said Dep. Chief Steve Adgate, who says the building is a total loss.

A strip of attached businesses was also heavily damaged, but firefighters were able to stop flames from spreading to some of them, like Cousin's Restaurant, which has been in Betty Regan's family for 35 years,

"Everybody is safe and sound and that's the most important thing," Regan said. "That's the bottom line. We can always close down, clean up, reopen."

Amor Amor Bridal, which opened last July, was also destroyed. Owner, Andreia Maia, was able to salvage two dresses for brides who will be married in April and May. One of those brides was in her store trying on her dress just hours before the blaze.

"The first thing I thought about was her dress and the promise I made to her that I would keep her dress safe," Maia said.

Woburn Police asked that people avoid the area.

Dep. Chief Adgate says it appears the fire started in an office at Turf Time.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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• Fire