Organizers of a local men’s transitional housing complex said the center will look for a new home after a fire Monday afternoon.
Pastor Kristopher Hunley, director of operations for Todd’s Place, said the fire that caused an estimated $22,000 in damage has resulted in searching for a new place.
"We are not shutting down, but we probably won’t return," he said. "I’m not done yet, though."
For now, the 30 men who had lived at the center at 4990 N. U.S. 31, Seymour, have been placed at Seymour Middle School by the American Red Cross.
Hunley said they will stay there for a week before other arrangements can be made and the center will explore other options.
Seymour Fire Chief Brad Lucas said Monday’s fire started because of an electrical malfunction in a storage room.
"There was enough smoke, and the electricity is not on. The facility is not fit to be in right now," he said.
The repairs will have to be made to areas where it was burned, the electrical will have to be repaired and sprinkler and alarms also will have to be repaired, Lucas said.
Lucas said the facility has not had permanent electricity, but the department had worked with them to try to resolve that issue.
"We have been aware of those issues for a while now and have been trying to get them corrected," Lucas said.
Multiple units responded to the fire, which was reported at 2:40 p.m. The first unit arrived on scene at 2:44 p.m., Lucas said.
No injuries were reported.
Lucas said the department investigated the fire until about 7:30 p.m.
"It has been ruled out that it was intentionally set," Lucas said.
The center opened May 23, 2016, by Hunley and his wife, Angie.
Hunley had previously been involved with drugs off and on for 25 years of his life. That led him to 19 felony charges and going in and out of jail more than 30 times.
He went to The Salvation Army in 2010 before landing in a transitional house in Salem, but he reverted to drugs after the death of his first wife. In 2012, he returned to The Salvation Army and has kept drugs out of his life since then.
Since opening Todd’s Place, the staff developed a curriculum, including career building, relapse prevention, group therapy, Bible study, Celebrate Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Take the Steps (12 steps of recovery), Fixing My Finances and one-on-one counseling.
The men are required to gain employment during their time there, too.