FOREST CITY, Pa. — A grocery store in Susquehanna County reopened Sunday after a fire broke out in the connecting building on Friday afternoon.
Flames and smoke ripped through the Kameen building along Main Street in Forest City Friday Afternoon, displacing 12 people and threatening damage to nearby Zazzera's supermarket.
David Trichilo owns the grocery store and had just bought the Kameen building in September. When he got the call about the fire, he feared the worst.
"I was worried of all the people, make sure they all got out all right. And then, you know, I was going right to the other extreme of, 'What do we do now?'" Trichilo said.
Zazzera's was closed on Saturday to assess the building, inventory for damage, and do a full cleaning. Luckily, the store had no damage from fire or water.
Customers who came in for their groceries were thankful to have their local grocery store open once again.
"I was saying prayers and everything because, where are we going to go? I mean, I could get my car and go, but this is, we're friends," Helen Zedar said.
"It's great because it's the only place that some people can get their food," another shopper said.
The health inspector was there on Saturday to make sure that all of the product was good. The great news for Zazzera's was they didn't lose a thing.
Firefighters from several area departments spent hours trying to hold back the flames, but the sentiment of a volunteer firefighter from Clifford Township making sure the store's American flag wasn't damaged was an action that showed people really cared about what happened to the business.
"Just gives you chills when you watch them take it down and then to see it back up, and it was cool. It was so cold, and they were out there, and I went around, and I thank them all, and I said, 'Guys, you guys did an amazing job.' I can't say thank you enough," Trichilo said.
The fire marshal ruled the fire an accident. The owner says he's waiting on the insurance company to take the next steps for the future of the building.