BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Fire Department is still investigating what caused a 100-year-old building to catch fire Wednesday afternoon.

The fire blocked off a section of North 22nd and Gracie streets for hours as the building, originally opened in 1924 as Hosea's Cleaner, went up in flames. The building has been abandoned since 2020.

Jerome Merricks, a nearby resident and former customer of Hosea's Cleaner, said he was shocked to see the building on fire.

"I happened to come outside and saw the smoke; this building was completely on fire, and it lit up the evening sky. You could see it for miles," Merricks said.

He was sad to see the building burn down.

"It's going to be really missed 'cause I'm a person with suits, coats, whatever I bring to the cleaners," he said.

Merricks remembers his time at the cleaners before they shut down. He said he hopes the current owner can work to restore the damaged property.

"Whoever opens it up, I hope they rebuild it because it's been a staple since I've been in Baton Rouge, Louisiana," he said.