Frank Andruscavage
Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
(TNS)
Apr. 4—SHENANDOAH — Investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire that destroyed the Dollar General store Monday at the Gold Star Plaza, resulting in more than $1 million in damage, borough Fire Chief Richard Examitas said.
On Tuesday morning, Examitas was working with state police fire marshals troopers Joseph Hall and John Szczyglak to determine how the fire started.
Hall said the cause has yet to be pinpointed, but the investigation is concentrated on the rear interior of the building.
He said two workers and about four customers were inside at the time of the blaze. All escaped unharmed, the trooper said.
Heather Sborz, district manager with Dollar General, met with Examitas, Hall and Szczyglak outside the charred building Tuesday morning.
Sborz said that, per company policy, she was unable to discuss the fire.
A call to the Dollar General Media Hotline referred inquiries to an email address. A request for comment was not returned Tuesday.
Firefighters were called to the store along Route 924 at 4:03 p.m. for a report of cardboard burning to the rear of the store and were met with heavy smoke.
It took firefighters from Shenandoah and surrounding communities more than two hours to bring the blaze under control, Examitas said.
He said that when crews arrived and determined the extent of fire and smoke, a second alarm was immediately called for additional manpower and apparatus.
Also, a second and then third alarm were called for tanker trucks to shuttle water to the scene.
Two fire hydrants, one in front of the store and the other near the Advance Auto Parts at the opposite end of the parking lot, were unable to provide the amount of water needed to battle the intense fire.
Portable dams were set up on the parking lot near the Wine & Spirits store at the plaza. Tankers shuttled water from two filling sites, one along Route 924 at the entrance to the plaza, the other on Herald Road in Shenandoah.
Examitas is asking anyone who may have been inside the store at the time of the fire to contact Hall at the Frackville station by calling 570-874-5300.
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