A fire at the Barracks Road Harris Teeter early yesterday morning left the potato chips section in ashes and the remainder of the store covered in soot.
The Charlottesville Fire Department responded to the three-alarm fire at 6:30 a.m. Eight engine companies, two ladder companies, a rescue ambulance, ventilation truck, air truck and four chief officers were summoned to the scene, according to Charlottesville Fire Chief Bill Purcell.
"The fire originated in part of the potato chip aisle," Purcell said. "It completely destroyed the potato chip rack."
Potato chips likely were not the only casualty of the fire, however.
"There was probably thousands and thousands of dollars of damage done to the store," Purcell said. "There was a great deal of smoke and soot."
No one was injured in the accident.
Tara Stewart, director of communications at Harris Teeter's corporate headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., painted an even graver picture of the store's losses.
She said holes firefighters punched in the door and roof to access the blaze, combined with the many gallons of water pumped into the store to put out the fire, mean that most food probably will have to be thrown out and almost the entire store will need to be restocked.
"Everything electrical probably shorted out," because of the water damage, Stewart said.
Shortly after learning of the fire, a "special situations team" of officials representing Harris Teeter maintenance, food and financial divisions departed for Charlottesville to evaluate the situation, Stewart said. The team is trained to handle disasters ranging from fires to hurricanes.
"We want to put all resources there to get it open as soon as possible," she said. "However, our folks can't get in until the fire department's investigation is complete."
An initial investigation, detailed in a city press release, points to a "faulty light ballast in a fluorescent light fixture" becoming overheated and beginning to melt. The melting "liquid rubber ignited, dripped onto the contents below and spread the fire."
Purcell said the fire department should "probably issue a full report in the next few days."
Because of "residual smoke from the original fire," Bed Bath & Beyond, the store neighboring Harris Teeter, also was forced to remain closed yesterday, he said.
Many University students, who comprise a major portion of the store's customer base, are eager for its reopening.
Fourth-year Engineering student James Tagenkopf is a frequent shopper at the upscale grocery store.
"I already did my shopping or else I would miss it a lot," Tagenkopf said.
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