On August 24, a fire destroyed a family-owned grocery store in Renton.
Community members have rallied to support Jackie and Damu Maples, owners of Top of the Hill Quality Produce, after a fire burned down the store early Saturday morning.
Multiple fire departments, including the Renton Regional Fire Authority, responded to reports of an explosion and fire at a commercial building in the 5300 block of Northeast 4th Street on August 24. Shortly after fire crews arrived on scene, the incident was upgraded to a Level 2 fire.
Firefighters fought the fire from the outside of the building. According to King County Fire District 20 social media, about 35 minutes after the first alarm, part of the roof collapsed in the middle of the building.
No firefighters were injured during the operation.
Fire inspectors arrived at the scene and continued to work to determine the cause of the fire.
Friends and neighbors of the owners set up a GoFundMe campaign to support the Maples on the day of the fire, with the goal of raising $100,000.
As of August 26, nearly $12,000 in donations had been received through GoFundMe.
“Early Saturday morning…the store burned down and they lost everything inside,” the GoFundMe campaign states. “Not only the material losses, but now the loss of income as well as the employees who are also out of work for an unknown period of time.”
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing [email protected].
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We will only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep your letters to 300 words or less.
