MACKINAW - The cause of a fire that destroyed the Mackinaw IGA remained under investigation Thursday, but a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal's office said foul play isn't suspected. | Video | Photo gallery | User-submitted photos | Submit your photos

Januari Smith said the fire began Wednesday in the basement of the grocery store, but it hasn't been determined what started it.

Both Smith and Mackinaw Deputy Police Chief Bob Davies said no damage estimate was available Thursday.

Although the fire reduced the town's only grocery store to rubble, no injuries were reported.

Smith said a state fire marshal investigator was on the scene Thursday, but she didn't know when the investigation would be completed.

Davies said firefighters left the scene about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday but returned Thursday when there was a flare-up.

Davies is among those who will miss the store.

"My wife goes up there at least once a day," he said, adding she might now go to the nearby Minier Foods, which also belongs to Mackinaw IGA owner Brett Zehr and his wife.

Davies said Zehr has been steadfast in his determination to rebuild.

Zehr and Fire Chief Paul Miller could not be reached for comment Thursday.

A manager at the Minier store said Thursday that Mackinaw residents have already been making the eight-mile trip to shop at her store.

"We had people come in last night and today," Manager Barb Swanson said.

Swanson said home delivery to Mackinaw might be possible because the Minier store already delivers to Hopedale, about six miles away. The Mackinaw store had several home-delivery clients, Zehr said previously.

Like Zehr, who worked at the Mackinaw store as a teenager and bought it about 14 years ago, Swanson lives in Mackinaw. She said the fire is a major loss for the town, where residents considered the grocery a gathering place.

Shoppers inside the grocery store smelled smoke about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Mackinaw Police Chief Gary Hartzell said smoke was seen coming from the basement.

Firefighters from Mackinaw, Tremont, Minier and Morton battled the blaze at its peak, and by Wednesday afternoon, much of the store had collapsed.

Zehr is a volunteer firefighter for Mackinaw. He responded to the call to the fire station, but he didn't go to the scene.

The Mackinaw store employed about 40 full- and part-time workers whereas the Minier store has about 25, Swanson said.

"We hope we can help out," she said.