Shop 'n Save Google Images

GOWANDA — Quick thinking by employees of a grocery store in Gowanda helped limit damage following an electrical issue that sparked a fire early this morning.

The incident at the Shop ‘n Save on Buffalo Street was detailed in a post by the Gowanda Fire Department. The fire chief, Steve Raiport, said he hoped to quell rumors that have arisen since this morning.

The fire department was called to the grocery store around 5:40 a.m. — initially for pallets on fire by the back loading dock area.

“Employees of Shop ‘n Save were at the store working,” Raiport said. “Employees noticed the lights dimming in the store and went out back to the back storage room and noticed smoke. Employees immediately went outside to the loading dock area and noticed the fire.

“Yes, there was pallets stacked there. The pallets were stacked where the main electrical power lines that fed the building are also, in metal conduit. The quick actions of the employees, helped minimize further damage to the building. They immediately pulled away the pallets away from the building as the fire itself was in the main conduit and boxes of the electrical system on the outside of building.

“They immediately hit the fire with two dry chemical fire extinguishers to knock the fire down from spreading any further til fire personnel arrived. No pallets caught on fire. Fire personnel arrived and knocked the fire out with additional dry chemical fire extinguishers.

“The fire was contained to all the conduit and electrical boxes. Employees and fire personnel immediately shut off all the main breakers inside of the building to minimize any further damage to the building or equipment short circuiting. NYSEG was notified to shut off the power at the pole.

“There is no foul play or suspicious activity that caused the fire, simple fact of some sort of electrical failure.”

Raiport said the fire caused “extensive damage … to the main electrical system coming into the building,” forcing the grocery store to close for an unknown period of time. No one answered the phone at the store when called this morning.