Fayette County market damaged by fire; firefighter calls it a crime scene

Lonni Rivera
·2 min read

Grindle’s Market is surrounded by crime scene tape after a fire early Friday.

The building used to be the old fire department. The new fire department is just next door on Leisenring Vanderbilt Road in Vanderbilt, Fayette County.

Lynn Korelko lives across the street from Grindle’s Market.

“My husband woke me up and said, ‘You need to come look. You’re gonna be really upset,’ and I looked out and flames were pouring out the window,” said Korelko.

Fire crews responded to a call just before 3 a.m.

They arrived and found smoke and flames coming from the neighborhood store.

A firefighter told our news photographer that the area was a crime scene.

The fire department in Vanderbilt still owns the building and leases it to a family for the store.

The market was a convenient stop for locals.

Just last week, police investigated a burglary at Grindle’s. The store was closed when it caught fire. Police and firefighters are not saying if there’s a connection.

The State Fire Marshal is investigating.

“It’s just sad you have something nice in this community and then this. [I] hope they find out, the fire marshal or whoever,” said Korelko.

“Small towns with small businesses are few and far between anymore and it meant a lot...a place to go. People come and buy their lottery and buy milk, come buy bread,” said DLV Fire Dept Rescue Captain Jack Washabaugh.

Firefighters tell Channel 11 News the building has a lot of damage. No word on if or when the store could reopen.

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