State fire marshal seeking cause of blaze at Bedford's St. Vincent de Paul thrift store
A fire of suspicious origin caused major damage to Bedford’s St. Vincent De Paul Society thrift store early Tuesday.
Firefighters from all three city fire stations responded to the 12:37 a.m. blaze at the store, located in the 900 block of 17th Street. They were on the scene until after 4 a.m., a fire department spokesman said.
A State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator arrived after the fire was extinguished to look into the cause. The Bedford Police Department would not comment on the fire or how it started, citing the ongoing investigation.
The store, usually open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m., will be closed for some time and is not accepting donations until it reopens.
The thrift store’s Facebook page says the fire was intentionally set “by a group of young men” seen on video footage. They posted pictures of the damage and announced being closed until further notice.
“We will repair, rebuild and reopen as soon as possible. We have video of the guys, and they will be caught and prosecuted!” a post on the store's Facebook page declared.
Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Bedford is closed after fire
