A piece of history was destroyed Monday night when fire caused the collapse of the Washington Antique Center.

Now, only the charred remains of the beautiful Victorian store can be seen. Borough Mayor Marianne Van Deursen stated that the collapse was a tragic loss to the community. The destruction occurred one night before the start of revitalization plans for the downtown district. Borough officials hoped the restored antique store would lead the way in the revitalization project.

The antique center, once a hardware store, was a historic building dating back to 1896 that had undergone major renovations throughout the years. It was well known throughout the community.