A part of history was taken away Wednesday when fire destroyed the old Royal Coach building next to Hastings Manufacturing Company.

The Hastings fire Department with assistance from other departments battled the fire from early morning and throughout most of the morning keeping the flames from reaching nearby buildings.

Firefighters stayed on the scene for the rest of the day making sure it didn't start up again.

Today all that is left of the historic building is smoldering ashes, and part of the brick structure still standing..

Hastings fire Chief Roger Caris said, "it was not arson."

 

Some of the long time Hastings residents who came to the fire  spoke with WBCH about other big fires over the years in Hastings  such as Wayne's Shoe Store, Leary's Sports Center both in downdown Hastings and Alfresco's on South Jefferson street.