Less than three weeks ago, a fire tore through the Village of Corinth, ravaging part of its downtown.

The blaze left a few families homeless and some business owners wondering what to do next.

The people displaced by the ordeal have since relocated. On Monday, Feb. 25, village officials, representatives for U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand and other area lawmakers, business owners and many residents met at the Corinth Fire House to discuss the rebuilding process.

“This was a devastating fire,” Mayor Bradley Winslow said. “We lost some of our local history.

The buildings can be rebuilt, but there are a lot of memories tied up in these buildings for the community that are irreplaceable.”

The fire totally leveled three buildings and a fourth one sustained structural damage. Winslow said he wasn’t sure at this time what they were going to do about that building.

Four businesses and three apartments were located within those buildings. The tenants of the apartments have been relocated, but Winslow said whether the property owners will rebuild or move their businesses has yet to be determined.

“This was definitely a blow to our downtown. These were vital businesses,” Winslow said. “We’ll try to assist the property owners any way we can.”

Several other buildings in the vicinity suffered heat and smoke damage, and the siding even melted off a few nearby houses. In addition, many village residents lost their power that chilly night.

Some businesses and homes also suffered flooding because of the amount of water that was needed to put out the fire. Corinth Fire Chief Andy Kelley said roughly 100 million gallons of water was used to extinguish the flames.

Approximately 135 firefighters from 11 departments including South Glens Falls, Wilton, Saratoga Springs and Middle Grove worked together to battle the blaze that started the night of Feb. 11.

Kelley said the fire was contained within three hours, but they were working on hot spots until 6 a.m. the following morning.

“This was one of the first things people saw coming in and now it’s gone. Now it’s just a hole in the village,” he said.

The village’s downtown was in the process of being revitalized when the fire struck. Winslow said they are currently looking to secure grants to rebuild, but may also be able to use approximately $150,000 that was set aside for renovations.

Winslow said that neither the cost, nor a timeline for the rebuilding process is available at this time. However, they do have an architectural rendering of what the new buildings downtown could look like. Winslow said the conceptual drawing was done by the LA Group, an architectural and engineering firm based in Saratoga Springs.

“They did it in a week, free of charge,” he said.

Before any kind of rebuilding effort can begin the site needs to be cleared. Kelley said that situation is on hold until the New York State Department of Labor makes a decision about the requirements for removing debris from the fire, which may contain asbestos.

To recognize the efforts of those who have helped out in this trying time, a Community Appreciation Day will be held on Saturday, March 1 at the Corinth firehouse. Winslow said he has a list of more than 30 businesses, organizations and individuals who will receive certificates at the ceremony.