A fire that erupted yesterday evening at a Market Basket in Gloucester is now under the lens of suspicion. Flames were found in two distinct parts of the store, officials report. The response from crews, who arrived at the scene around 8:30 p.m. at the Gloucester Crossing Road location, also included a swift evacuation of the premises initiated by the store's management.
WHDH described an eyewitness account from Dale Harris, an employee, "All of a sudden I smelled smoke. I looked out the door and there’s smoke everywhere," and he saw "a whole bunch of flames...just getting bigger and bigger by the minute." According to another customer in a quick interview, "Everyone’s saying get out, so we just run out," reflecting the urgency felt during the incident. Thankfully, no injuries were reported amidst the pandemonium.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and is being probed by Massachusetts State Police together with the fire marshal's office. Both forces are delving into the origins of the blaze that managed to force shoppers and employees into the night, cold and huddled, watching as the pyre in their community supermarket threatened to consume more than just groceries.
Following the commotion, the store was temporarily shut down but has since reopened. Officials battled and knocked down the fire by approximately 9 p.m., as reported by NBC Boston. During the active firefighting operations, the public was urged to steer clear of the area for safety and to enable the crew to operate unimpeded. While fires are not uncommon, the occurrence of simultaneously ignited flames in separated store areas is adding layers of complexity to the investigation.
