Bi-Mart is open for business
Following a Thursday night fire at the Forest Grove Bi-Mart, the store was open for business Friday morning.
"Come on in, shop with us and support our local business," said Assistant Manager Will Gresens. He and several other staff were working to clean a clogged storm drain, which had flooded the bay where the fire had started.
A trailer had visible fire damage, but the store itself appeared unharmed, and the store was busy with shoppers and staff.
"All indicators point to a fire starting on the exterior of a trailer that the store has rented as overstock storage," said Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Public Information Officer Dave Nemeyer in a message to News in the Grove.
He estimated that around $10,000 worth of product stored in the trailer was damaged, and that the total damage could be closer to $30,000 when damage to the trailer was factored in.
The fire's cause is under investigation.
"We are looking at area security cameras as we speak and hoping to have more information soon," Nemeyer said.
Crews were dispatched to the fire just after 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26.
While fire crews extinguished the blaze, one westbound lane on Pacific Avenue and the drive-thru at the adjacent McDonald's was closed to allow for fire vehicles and a hose line to use the area.
By 10:20 p.m., the drive-thru was open, and the westbound lane on Pacific Ave. opened shortly afterward.
The last fire crews left the scene just before 10:40 p.m.
