[1]Crews from five departments converge on Mary’s Corner south of Chehalis. / Courtesy photo byTiffany Dolin
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A deli and pizza business south of Chehalis sustained heavy fire and smoke damage last night, but nobody was injured.
Flames were reported by a woman in the building to 911 about 7:40 p.m. and she confirmed everyone evacuated the business on U.S. Highway 12 at Jackson Highway, according to Lewis County Fire District 5.
“As far as I know, it wasn’t open,” Firefighter Maria Kennedy said. “I don’t know if there were other people with her or not.”
Responding crews could see a column of smoke when they turned the corner at Koontz Road, a mile away, Kennedy said. When they arrived, flames were rising from the roof of Mary’s Corner Deli she said.
Kennedy said they focused on the back part of the building from the exterior at first, trying to keep the fire from extending into the coffee shop portion in the front.
Firefighters from Toledo, Winlock, Salkum and rural Chehalis assisted, she said.
There’s no fire hydrants in the area so they shuttled water in tenders, she said.
Firefighters finished up about midnight, but continued a fire watch through the night to make sure nothing rekindled, according to Kennedy.
A fire investigator came to the scene and is investigating the cause.