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Lightning strikes Benton store |
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Monday, 13 April 2009 |
A lightning strike shortly after noon on Easter Sunday ignited a fire at Fred’s discount store on Military Road in Benton, but the store’s sprinkler system apparently kept the flames from destroying the store and adjacent buildings.
Damage is estimated at $20,000 to the building and $20,000 to the contents, Benton fire officials said.
Firefighters were alerted by an alarm signal, Fire Marshal Bruce Armstrong said.
“There was mainly smoke and water damage to the building and contents,” Armstrong said.
“The incident occurred during a thunderstorm when there was heavy rain,” he added. “When firefighters arrived, they found light-colored smoke coming from the eaves.”
Firefighters arrived at 12:07 p.m. and the last united cleared the scene at 2:31 p.m., Armstrong said.
“What they saw first looked like steam coming from the southeast corner of the building,” he said.
“They forced entry into to the front door, then made their way to the loading dock where they opened up that door as well.
“The building had not been opened yet, because it was noon on Easter Sunday. They encountered light smoke in the building and they stretched the hose line from the loading dock area to the door entering the stock area.”
He pointed out that the loading dock is on the west side of the building and the front door where firefighters entered is on the north side.
“The loading dock isn’t visible from the roadway, so they had to stretch the hose line from the loading dock through the stock room to the area of the fire, which was on the opposite end of the building,” Armstrong said.
He said the store’s sprinkler system had activated and contained the fire.
“The fire definitely was caused by a lightning strike in the area,” Armstrong said. “There was evidence on the electrical panel that the lightning had entered the building.”
He noted that the building, though it appears to be a single story, has a second level and the fire had moved up through the wall to the second-floor office area.
“Smoke and water damage occurred to approximately 30 percent of the store, and the sprinkler system flooded the building,” he said.
“If it hadn’t been for the sprinkler system, we probably would have lost the whole store and other buildings in that complex.”
Firefighters also entered the Sport Shop to check for a possible spread of the fire, but there was none. “Electrical and water services were cut off in the Fred’s building,” he said.
Two fire engines and two trucks with aerial apparatuses were dispatched. District Chief Bill Ford served as incident commander and also responding were Fire Chief Ben Blankenship and Assistant Chief Mark Mills.
Members of the Turtle Creek Volunteer Fire Department also responded.
Attempts to reach the store manager were not successful by press time.
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