Fire destroys historic Champaign building

CHAMPAIGN -- An early morning fire has destroyed a historic building in downtown Champaign.

Deputy Fire Chief Tim Wild says the Metropolitan Building collapsed around 5:30 a.m., about 10 minutes after firefighters arrived. He says nobody was in the building and there were no injuries.

The 1870s-era building most recently housed an estate antiques store, and its upper floors were under renovation.

A Fire Department spokeswoman says it could be days before investigators can get in the building to determine the cause.

Embers started a small fire on the roof of the Orpheum Children's Science Museum about a block away, but it was quickly extinguished.

Fire fighters from Urbana, Savoy, Edge Scott, Eastern Prairie and St. Joseph assisted.