A fire early Sunday morning destroyed the office and the shop of a long-time manufactured homes business on Seymour’s east side.

That blaze, which remains under investigation, didn’t stop Baird Homes of Seymour from opening its doors for customers Monday morning.

“We moved an office in yesterday (Sunday),” manager Chris Beverly said. “We’re in business. We have homes unlocked and ready to go.”

He said the plan is to start cleaning up the destroyed office and shop at 208 S. Commerce Drive this week so that it can be replaced in the coming weeks.

Beverly declined to comment about the cause of the fire, reported about 4:30 a.m. Sunday.

“It would all be speculation,” he said.

Seymour Police Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the fire, which caused an estimated $250,000 damage. There was nothing to salvage, Fire Chief Brad Lucas said Sunday afternoon.

The fire was reported by someone passing by the business. No one was hurt as a result of the fire.

Lucas said investigators found multiple origins of fire inside the office and shop.

“That’s an indicator that the cause of the fire is suspicious,” he said.

Firefighters spent more than two hours battling the blaze because they had to attack it defensively, Lucas said.

Other than quickly checking to make sure no one was in the office, firefighters fought the fire from outside, he said.

“Once the ceiling and roof collapse, you can’t get to the fire,” he said. “You just have to wait until they burn.”

Lucas said he will have to wait on the fire marshal’s office for a cause.

“That usually takes a couple of weeks because they are behind,” he said.

Beverly said Baird Homes Inc. of Fruitland, Florida, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and has had a Seymour office for 30 years, including 22 at its present location.

Anyone who was in the area early Sunday morning and may have seen something suspicious, may contact Seymour police at 812-522-1234 or Seymour Fire Department at 812-522-2598.