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Owner of burned Mackinaw grocery a volunteer firefighter
By Bob Holliday
bholliday@pantagraph.com
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MACKINAW -- Brett Zehr has responded to many calls during his eight years as a volunteer firefighter, but never one like Wednesday’s.

On that day, his Mackinaw IGA grocery store went up in flames.

Though the cause of the fire that destroyed the two-story building remains under investigation, Mackinaw Fire Chief Paul Miller said he believes it will be declared electrical in nature.

Patty Thompson, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal’s office, said she didn’t know how soon there would be a finding on the cause.

Brett Zehr, who has said he will rebuild and hopes to have a new foundation poured before winter, was out of town Wednesday when a worker called him to report a problem.

“I was hoping that it was just a wire burning,” Zehr said.

Zehr returned to Mackinaw in street clothes about an hour after the fire started and told Miller he would gear up to help fight it.

“I told him that he had plenty to do already,” Miller said, adding that Zehr stayed at the scene, talking to an insurance representative and bystanders.

Miller estimated that 30 firefighters from Mackinaw, Tremont, Minier and Morton fought the blaze.

While Miller said the fire may end up being one of the biggest losses in Mackinaw history, he had no damage estimate.

Neither did Brett Zehr, who figured, however, that it would be “substantially more than $300,000,” including building and contents.

Zehr, who has insurance, said they had just remodeled the store about five years ago.

He bought the store, the only grocery in town, about 14 years ago. He and his wife, Chris, also own Minier Foods, where some Mackinaw residents have begun shopping since the fire.

Minier Foods Manager Barb Swanson said four or five employees from the Mackinaw store are now working in Minier.

“They are doing whatever we need them to do,” she said.

Zehr, 47, who has lived most of his life in Mackinaw, said the Minier store will have home delivery to Mackinaw.

“It’s been nonstop since the fire,” he said, adding that he and his family are concerned about their employees and customers.

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Reader comments on this story - 1 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

lucked83 wrote on Sep 6, 2008 10:40 AM:

" Mr. & Mrs. Zehr,
Your sound like selfless people. Your employees should be VERY proud to work for you. You may be the closest grocery store but I dont think your customer only shopped there because of that. WalMart is a quick drive but I know WalMart doesnt care about the community like you do. Im sorry that your building caught fire but I am very happy to know there werent any injuries. Keep in good spirits and keep up the hard work. "
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