Updated 11/24/2009 05:19 PM
Cleanup and Investigation Underway in Plaza Fire
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Rochester firefighters spent the day investigating Monday's four-alarm fire at the shopping plaza on North Clinton Avenue.
The fire began at the Family Dollar Store.
Fire investigators said they spent most of this day putting out hot spots. There are still several left in buried debris and roofing material.
Rochester fire officials said store owners have not been allowed back in yet because it is not clear if the structure is safe.
Officials said they are waiting for the possibility of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to help investigate.
Fire officials said the ATF would come because there were multiple suspicious fires in Rochester Monday, including one at another Family Dollar store.
"Having two businesses of the same name going up in flame on the same day in a certain amount of time – do the math. It still looks pretty odd to say they're not related," said Jonathan Young, Rochester fire battalion chief.
Firefighters said crews managed to save stores at the ends of the plaza, but the center of the strip mall is destroyed.
Meanwhile, many people who live near the Clinton-Ridge Plaza still can't believe the stores they depended on for years burned down in front of their eyes Monday.
"It's gonna be hard on people. A lot of people came here to do their laundry from the complex up the street here. It was convenient. It's just gonna be hard," Melissa Grana said.
In addition to the jobs and convenience the plaza provided, Eugenio Cotto, Executive Director of Group 14621 Community Association is also concerned about the impact the fire could have on future economic development in the area.
Cotto said part of the El Camino Trail project is expected to run right behind the plaza.
And he says 14621 applied for and won Brownfield Opportunity Area grants to clean up old sites and revitalize areas surrounding the plaza.
Cotto says the sooner something can be done with the plaza the better.
“The challenge that we have as a community,” Cotta said, “is to look at this situation and use it as an opportunity to improve what we have.”
Monroe County Fire Wire
Group 14621