May 27, 1996

Firefighters extinguish blaze in convenience store's attic

       White River Township firefighters quickly extinguished a fire in the attic of a convenience store, but investigators late Monday night continued their search for a cause.  The blaze at Phil’s Foods & Deli, 4455 W. County Line Road, was reported at 6:22 p.m. by Richard Knoderer, who leases the building near Morgantown Road.  Fire investigators had not determined a damage estimate, said Assistant Fire Chief Steve Mourer.
“Smoke was coming from the roof along the eves when we arrived,” Mourer said.  Firefighters extinguished flames inside the store within 15 minutes.  Knoderer was in a back storage room when he smelled smoke about 30 minutes before calling for help.  “I don’t have any idea what happened. I just smelled smoke and that was it,” Knoderer said.  “About the only thing that could catch on fire in the attic is electrical,” he added.  By the time firefighters arrived, Knoderer and his adjoining business neighbors, Keith Mershon and Rodney Koons, co-owners of Antone’s Pizza, had evacuated their businesses. There were no customers in either store at the time.  Koons and Mershon reported only minor smoke damage inside their store, which they have owned for just three weeks.  “It was pretty much status quo until Phil came down and said we’d better leave,” Mershon said.  Indianapolis Power & Light Co. shut off power to the buildings, which halted business at both businesses for the rest of the night.  Knoderer leases the building from Millersville Associates in Indianapolis.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

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