UNITY — A fifth-generation family business in Unity Township suffered a serious blow Thursday when a fire destroyed the main building where O.T. Beight and Sons and Daughter designed and created monuments.

According to East Palestine Fire Chief Joshua Brown, firefighters were called just before noon, arriving to find the shop building along state Route 170 ablaze and threatening another nearby building, a home where the office was located.

East Palestine firefighters sought assistance from New Waterford, Negley, Enon Valley, Pa,, Darlington, Pa., Springfield Township and Beaver Township.

Firefighters doused the fire with an estimated 10,000 gallons of water, but were unable to save the building.

Brown said Eric Beight, the owner of the business, was the only one at the location at the time. He had lit the woodburner in the shop building at about 7:30 a.m., adding wood to stoke the fire at about 9:30 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m.

He then left that building to go do paperwork and eat lunch in a nearby building. Beight reportedly told firefighters he heard a “boom” noise from the direction of the shop. He tried to get back inside, but there was heavy black smoke inside one door and fire just inside another door on the east end of the building.

A family business since 1897, O.T. Beight creates monuments, benches and headstones, including custom designs which were reportedly on a computer located inside the building destroyed by the fire. The amount of damages are listed at $25,000 for the building and $150,000 for the contents. The building was insured.

Most of the business’ monuments were being stored outside the building and were undamaged.

Additional damage was reported to the siding of the nearby office building.

Due to the high amount of monetary damages, firefighters have notified the state fire marshal’s office. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

O.T. Beight has another location in Boardman.

djohnson@mojonews.com