Fire means Columbia’s Orr Street Studios closed for First Friday art walk

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A hub of Columbia's Arts District, Orr Street Studios, remained closed Friday after a fire during the early morning last Sunday.

With the building closed, the studio is unable to participate in Columbia's monthly First Friday celebration, the studio says on its Facebook page. Orr Street Studios also had to postpone the opening of its August exhibit, dedicated to award-winning Columbia native Frank Stack.

According to a press release from the Columbia Fire Department, crews were able to extinguish the fire in under five minutes.

According to a post on Orr Street Studios Facebook page, the fire caused considerable damage to the building, destroying art supplies, artwork and leaving the studio exposed to the elements.

Orr Street Studio says that seven artists are unable to use their studios and that major reconstruction began immediately. A Go Fund Me page was set up to help pay for the damage and lost business.

The First Friday free art crawl event is hosted by the North Village Arts District and features over 30 local companies and art studios on the first Friday of each month.

The cause of the fire is still unknown and is under investigation.