An undetected fire tore through the C & R Mini Mart Monday morning destroying the small convenience store outside of Lebanon near Waterloo, according to a press release from the Lebanon Fire District.
LFD received the call for flames coming from the rear of the market at 31054 Santiam Hwy. just before 5 a.m. and arrived to find the small market fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters “knocked down the majority of the fire from outside of the structure before moving in to extinguish the rest of the fire.” said LFD Division Chief Jason Bolen.
The fire was under control within a matter of minutes, but crews remained on scene past 7 a.m. mopping up and overhauling the structure.
The business owners live on the same property roughly 50 feet from the store but there was no damage to their home.
The store had been secured since 10 p.m. last night when the owner closed for the business day. No one was injured and the property was insured, according to the owner.
Members of the LFD Fire Investigation Team conducted an investigation on Oct. 30 and determined the fire to be accidental in nature and likely caused by an electrical malfunction of operating equipment.
Anyone with information regarding this fire is encouraged to contact Deputy Fire Marshal Ken Foster at 541-451-1901.
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