A year after a massive Main Street fire, parts of Ovid still feel empty and unsettled, according to new reporting this week from WSTM and WHAM.
The January 2025 blaze destroyed key buildings, displaced up to 20 residents, and wiped out the village’s only grocery store, Big M. Neighbors describe downtown as dark and quiet, with fewer people walking the streets and fewer reasons to stop.
Residents and leaders say the emotional toll lingers. Some fire victims continue to battle PTSD, while others avoid the burned block altogether. Flooding from frozen runoff caused additional damage months later.
Village leaders and local advocates are now focused on rebuilding, restoring basic services like groceries, and bringing life back to Ovid’s downtown.
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