NATCHEZ — A downtown fire destroyed two office buildings and left one building with smoke and water damage on Thursday afternoon.

The fire, which started just before 12:30 p.m., originated in attorney Kent Hudson’s Main Street office.

As the Natchez Fire Department swarmed the burning structure, there wasn’t much Hudson could do but watch.

He said he was unaware of what started the blaze.

Hudson was across the street at Biscuits and Blues having lunch when he noticed the smoke.

“Smoke was just coming out the front, and I ran across the street,” he said. “And when I opened the door (the smoke) knocked me down.”

The fire consumed the entire office building and also caught Hudson’s SUV on fire.

Many on the scene speculated that it was the SUV parked in the alley behind Hudson’s office that started the blaze.

But Hudson said when he arrived at the scene the SUV was not on fire. It was the building that burned the vehicle.

As firefighters doused Hudson’s office, smoke began to seep into the buildings on either side.

Then, at approximately 1:27 p.m., Capt. David Freeman walked from the rear of attorney Bruce Kuehnle’s office with word the fire had spread.

Hudson’s office shares a common wall with Kuehnle’s office on the left-hand side.

The fire at Kuehnle’s office started on the second floor and worked its way across the roof in the direction of Dimples bar.

But while the fire at Kuehnle’s office building was still in the early stages, a small army of volunteers was shuffling in and out of the building grabbing anything they could save from the impending destruction.

In Kuehnle’s office, volunteers grabbed armloads of documents, family photos, computer equipment and office furniture.

“Most of this stuff can be replaced,” Kuehnle said as he cleared his desk.

Other offices at Main Street businesses followed suit, removing valuables from their buildings.

In 20 minutes, the smoke, which started light and gray, was pouring out of upper vents at Kuehnle’s office in thick, black clouds.

Approximately 20 minutes later, the Natchez Police Department cleared the streets and roped off the block, telling hundreds of onlookers to back away.

Natchez Fire Chief Oliver Stewart said many of those in the street were trying to clear office equipment from adjoining buildings.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Stewart said the fire was contained, but burning tar from the roof was still creating hot spots that needed attention.

Dimples bar shares a wall with Kuehnle’s office and sustained some smoke and water damage.

Stewart said that damage was not severe.

“They could open up if they wanted to,” he said.

Stewart said the state fire marshal would be in town by today to investigate the fire.

“Right now we don’t know what caused it,” Stewart said. “It’s under investigation.”

Stewart said one fireman had to be treated for a twisted ankle and another received treatment for smoke inhalation.

There were no other injuries.

While Kuehnle owned the building his office was in, Hudson’s office is owned by Dr. Randy Tillman.

Hudson has been Tillman’s tenant for 15 years, and now he’s starting over.

“I’m going to get up and get going again,” Hudson said. “But first I’ll have to replace everything.”