An artist passing by Put-In-Creek Carvings on Dec. 12 managed to avert a disaster for the owner Ben Richardson and the other artists who show their work in his Mathews Main Street shop.

Richardson said that a candle inadvertently left burning near the front of the store ignited some papers on his desk, and Christine Fletcher, who has art on display there, happened to be driving by and noticed the red glow through the window.

Fletcher said she first thought the glow was a lighting fixture, but quickly realized it was a fire. She called the fire department and tried to get in the shop, but couldn’t, so she flagged down a couple driving by and asked for help. 

The gentleman in the car helped her gain access, then rushed down to Richardson’s Café and borrowed a fire extinguisher as Fletcher went in the shop’s bathroom and filled a container with water. Fletcher began putting water on the fire and removing some pieces of art from the desk as the man used the fire extinguisher, and together they managed to put out the fire before the fire department arrived.

Thanks to Fletcher’s quick action, none of the artists’ works was damaged, said Richardson. Instead, a couple of Santa Clauses on his desk have singed beards and some papers that had sentimental value were burned.

“I’m grateful that people stepped up to help,” Richardson said.