Fire claims businesses at Sparta Trades

Sparta - In the second devastating fire in less than a week, the converted barn that was Sparta Trades was destroyed Sunday evening. Police said the Sparta dispatch center received two alarms just after 5 p.m., one from a warehouse at the rear of the building and the other from the skateboard shop, Extreme Grind. The shops were closed and only one person was in the building, a woman in the Yarn Loft on the opposite side of the structure. The renovated barn was about 2,500 square feet and housed Sparta Trades Kitchen and Bath, Oxygen Personal Training, Infocon, Audio Video Concepts, the Yarn Loft and the skateboard shop. Eight mutual aid fire departments joined Sparta’s at the scene: Jefferson, Ogdensburg, Lafayette, Newton, Hampton, Andover Fire Department fast team, Hopatcong Hill and Green. Also at the scene were the Lafayette EMS, Sparta Township first aid squad, Sparta Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, JCP&L, NJDOT traffic team and the New Jersey State Police. The fire took about two hours to consume the building, police said. The fire is under investigation. It apparently started on the western side of the building. Detective Sgt. John Schanstra and the state police arson team are investigating.