Fire damages Brothers Cleaners in Raleigh

Arlene Bunch, an employee at Brothers Cleaners, was among dozens of workers who barely escaped the fast moving fire.

“I just happened to look up and there it was,” Bunch said. “It stunned me and I just didn’t know which way to turn. All I could do was start running and make sure everybody was out of the building."

While firefighters contained the fire to one building, workers said the fire started in the dry cleaning area and then spread to the rest of the building. About 90 firefighters responded to the blaze.

Eduardo Rodriguez and his wife Valerie Rodriguez, drivers for the company, said they were getting ready for their final run of the day when the fire ignited.

“I saw it, and it was so quick that I ran to the other side,” Valerie Rodriguez said

The Rodriguez's are the parents of a small child and are concerned about the timing of the fire.

“The holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas—I had plans to go somewhere, but now I’m going to have to kind of cancel it to conserve my money,” Eduardo Rodriguez said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen work wise.”

Authorities said they are investigating the cause of the fire. The store will remain closed while the owners assess the total damage.