Firefighters spent more than 6 hours fighting Christmas morning fire at Thompson’s Country Market
Emergency responders from 33 fire departments spent more than six hours fighting a fire at Thompson’s Country Market in West Sunbury on Christmas morning.
The market burned to the ground after the fire was deemed too dangerous and destructive to combat effectively, said Reid Campbell, chief of West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department.
Cambell called efforts by area firefighters a “successful operation,” explaining that the only structure severely damaged in the fire was the one that started it all — the market at 136 Main St.
“We had the potential of losing four other structures and didn't,” said Campbell, who had icicles dangling from his mustache Sunday morning. “We've always said. If that building ever caught fire, we would be successful to keep it to that building.
“This was a valiant effort by the departments.”
According to Campbell, one man was injured in the fire; the tenant of an apartment located the same building as the market. Campbell said the operator of the market helped evacuate the man from the unit, as well as other families in the vicinity of the building.
The man in the apartment was transported to Butler Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation and facial burns, Campbell said.
The call about the fire came in around 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
According to Campbell, 3 C’s Pizza, 1252 W. Sunbury Rd., West Sunbury, is leading an assistance drive for the people affected by the fire.
Campbell said the two story market was a landmark in the community.
“But we saved all the rest. If this had been a day or two earlier we would have lost the whole center of town with that wind.” he said.
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