Blaze damages Boardman shopping center

By ROBERT CONNELLY

rconnelly@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

A fire ripped through a four-store commercial building Tuesday afternoon.

Boardman fire officials were called out to 8162 Market St. just before 3:50 p.m. Firefighters said the storefront was completely engulfed, and they called for assistance from Western Reserve Joint Fire District and Beaver Township.

Boardman Assistant Fire Chief Don Kloser said firefighters had to deal with the warmer weather and they “have to stay hydrated. ... That’s why we called mutual aid. You need as much manpower as possible.”

There were no injuries, and everyone was able to leave their businesses safely.

Kloser said the cause of the fire wasn’t known Tuesday afternoon but that it appeared it began in the middle of the four businesses. Those businesses are Subway, Allstate Insurance, Sanko Photography and Center Stage Music Productions.

He did say fire officials were at the same storefront three weeks ago for a “strange electrical odor,” but added that “anything could be a factor.”

Dean Cenneno was working inside Center Stage when the fire began. “I was writing up a sale, and I [saw] smoke from the front of the store,” he said. He added that five minutes later, the store was in flames.

He said he watched the fire travel from the end of the building, Allstate, across to the Subway on the other end.

Jeff Taylor, the owner of the storefront, also was at the fire Tuesday. “Forty-five years in business, never [had this]. ... It’s scary, though. Fortunately, everyone’s OK,” Taylor said.

Taylor said the day’s events were moving quickly. “I have some opportunity for people to move into other units if they want.”

He has owned the storefront for 10 years.

Market Street was closed for about 50 minutes as crews had to access a water line across the street from the blaze.

Boardman police said traffic was reopened, except for the closest lane to the fire, about 4:50 p.m.