Updated at 4 p.m Nov. 22:
After a fire damaged the Salvation Army of Jefferson County building in Arnold on Wednesday morning, Nov. 20, the organization is seeking donations to replenish its food pantry and to possibly replace toys for its holiday toy drive.
At about 7 a.m., a refrigerator in the food pantry that’s housed in the building caught fire. The pantry is located in the lower floor in the building at 3740 Telegraph Road, according to a written statement from the Salvation Army.
No one was in the building when the fire started.
Larry Hostetler, Salvation Army of Jefferson County director, said today, Nov. 22, that Rapid Response Trucking donated the use of two trailers, including one refrigerated trailer, to the Salvation Army so it can store food and other items in them while the building undergoes repairs.
He also said the Salvation Army expects to be begin operating in the building again on Monday, Nov. 25, including answering phone calls.
Hostetler said the location helped about 7,000 people with food, utility or other assistance over the past year.
“We are slowly becoming operational,” he said. “The last to come back online will be the pantry, which sustained the most damage. We will attempt to resume our weekly pantry distribution as soon as possible in some form or other.”
Hostetler said an insurance adjuster will visit the building soon to assess the damage and determine how much repairs will cost and when the location may reopen.
“We are moving as fast as we can to do what we can once we know what we can do,” he said.
Hostetler said the Salvation Army will provide updates on The Salvation Army of Jefferson County Facebook page.
The fire caused significant smoke damage throughout the building, the Salvation Army reported.
In its statement, the Salvation Army said food stored in the pantry will likely need to be thrown away due to smoke exposure, and toys that had been donated for the Angel Tree Toy Town program stored in the building may have been damaged.
The organization is asking for cash donations to replenish the food pantry, possibly replace damaged toys and provide services for the Jefferson County community.
Donations may be made by visiting salarmymidland.org/Arnold, by mail or in person at the building or through the Red Kettles program at various area businesses.
“We have received tremendous support in manyfold ways from the community,” Hostetler said.
“We are blessed, honored and humbled by the outpouring. Volunteer bell ringers are more needed than ever this year; signing up is easy at RegisterRing.com.”
Hostetler said because the toy collection had just recently begun, there were not many toys being stored at the building.
“We didn’t have near the pile that we will eventually have,” he said. “The fire department’s toy drive comes later, and donations from the Angel Trees at Walmarts, Wesley Roger’s (Steak and Buffet restaurant), Beauty Mark and places like those have yet to really start flowing in.
“We didn’t suffer as much as we would have a week from now as far as the toys. It is to be determined what the extent of the toy damage is.”
Because of the smoke damage, the Salvation Army was unable to open its pantry to distribute food on Nov. 20 as it typically does on Wednesdays.
The James II Project also was unable to provide a free hot meal to those in need on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Salvation Army’s building, and instead it provided meals from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that day at the Rock Community Fire Protection District’s House 5, which is across the street at 3749 Telegraph Road in Arnold.
The James II Project serves meals from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It planned to serve meals at House 5 on Tuesday, Nov. 26, as well.
“James II is planning to serve Thanksgiving lunch back in our building on Thanksgiving from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,” Hostetler said.
The Scouting for Food drive processing on Saturday, Nov. 23, was moved to Rock Fire’s House 5, Hostetler said.
“It has been an honor to be able to offer help to the Salvation Army,” Rock Fire Chief Kevin Wingbermuehle said. “They do a lot for us. The least we could do is return the favor.”
Rock Fire got a call at 6:52 a.m. Nov. 20 about the fire, and the first truck arrived at 6:56 a.m., spokeswoman Alyson Rotter said.
She said firefighters found light smoke on the main floor and heavy smoke from the fire in the basement. She said the fire was extinguished and the scene was cleared at 8:26 a.m.
Rottersaid the building was closed due to the smoke damage.
She said the Mehlville and Saline Valley fire protection districts assisted with the call, and the Rock Township Ambulance District responded to the building.
No one was injured, she said.
Hostetler said the refrigerator was destroyed, and it is not known what caused the fire. Rotter also said Rock Fire was investigating what caused the fire.
“What was conveyed at first was it was in the kitchen,” Hostetler said. “That would have been more disruptive, but the kitchen was spared. I think the ability for the kitchen to reopen for James II will be quicker than reopening the pantry.
ORIGINAL STORY
After a fire damaged the Salvation Army of Jefferson County building in Arnold this morning, Nov. 20, the organization is seeking donations to replenish its food pantry and to possibly replace toys for its holiday toy drive.
At about 7 a.m., a refrigerator in the food pantry that’s housed in the building caught fire. The pantry is located in the lower floor in the building at 3740 Telegraph Road, according to a written statement the Salvation Army issued today.
No one was in the building when the fire started.
Larry Hostetler, Salvation Army of Jefferson County director, said an insurance adjuster is expected to visit the building Thursday, Nov. 21, to assess the damage and determine how much it will cost to repair and when the location may reopen.
“Hopefully, we will get an idea by the time the weekend is over,” he said. “We are moving as fast as we can to do what we can once we know what we can do.
“There will need to be duct work and electric work. The pantry itself will take a while before we can bring people through it. That is the most significant area of damage. We can make arrangements to distribute our food elswewhere, but we couldn’t do that today.”
The fire caused significant smoke damage throughout the building, the Salvation Army reported.
In its statement, the Salvation Army said food stored in the pantry will likely need to be thrown away due to the smoke exposure, and toys that had been donated for the Angel Tree Toy Town program stored in the building may have been damaged.
The organization is asking for cash donations to replenish the food pantry, possibly replace damaged toys and provide services for the Jefferson County community.
Donations may be made by visiting salarmymidland.org/Arnold.
“Not everything is a loss,” Hostetler said. “What food we can retain from the pantry will require significant effort by volunteers and staff to clean and make suitable for distribution.”
Hostetler also said the Salvation Army is assessing how much the smoke damaged the toys that had been collected. Because the collection had just recently begun, there were not many toys being stored at the building.
“We didn’t have near the pile that we will eventually have,” he said. “The fire department’s toy drive comes later, and donations from the Angel Trees at Walmarts, Wesley Roger’s (Steak and Buffett restaurant), Beauty Mark and places like those have yet to really start flowing in.
“We didn’t suffer as much as we would have a week from now as far as the toys. It is to be determined what the extent of the toy damage is.”
Because of the smoke damage, the Salvation Army was unable to open its pantry to distribute food today as it typically does on Wednesdays.
The James II Project also will be unable to provide a free hot meal to those in need on Thursday at the Salvation Army’s building, but instead will hold it from 11:30 a. to 12:30 p.m. that day at the Rock Community Fire Protection District’s House 5, which is across the street at 3749 Telegraph Road in Arnold.
The James II Project serves meals from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“There are no restrictions on those who come for the meal,” Hostetler said. “It is not determined what the arrangements will be for Thanksgiving day. Hopefully, it will be (at the Salvation Army building), but James II will work to find a plan B, if that is not possible.”
A food drive collection is expected to be held Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Salvation Army’s parking lot, but the drive could be relocated to the Canaan Baptist Church-Windsor campus, 6701 Hwy 61-67 in Imperial, Hostetler said.
Updates will be provided on social media.
Rock Fire got a call at 6:52 a.m. today about the fire, and the first truck arrived at 6:56 a.m., spokeswoman Alyson Rotter said.
She said firefighters found light smoke on the main floor and heavy smoke from the fire in the basement. She said the fire was extinguished and the scene was cleared at 8:26 a.m.
Rotter said the building was closed due to the smoke damage.
She said the Mehlville and Saline Valley fire protection districts assisted with the call, and the Rock Township Ambulance District responded to the building.
No one was injured, she said.
Hostetler said the refrigerator was destroyed, and it is not known what cause the fire. Rotter also said Rock Fire was investigating what caused the fire.
“What was conveyed at first was it was in the kitchen,” Hostetler said. “That would have been more disruptive, but the kitchen was spared. I think the ability for the kitchen to reopen for James II will be quicker than reopening the pantry."
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Original story:
After a fire damaged the Salvation Army of Jefferson County building in Arnold this morning, Nov. 20, the organization is seeking donations to replenish its food pantry and to possibly replace toys for its holiday toy drive.
At about 7 a.m., a refrigerator in the food pantry that’s housed in the building caught fire. The pantry is located in the basement in the building at 3740 Telegraph Road, according to a written statement the Salvation Army issued today.
No one was in the building when the fire started.
The fire caused significant smoke damage throughout the building, the Salvation Army reported.
In its statement, the Salvation Army said food stored in the pantry will likely need to be thrown away due to the smoke exposure, and toys that had been donated for the Angel Tree Toy Town program stored in the building may have been damaged.
The organization is asking for cash donations to replenish the food pantry, possibly replace damaged toys and provide services for the Jefferson County community.
Donations may be made by visiting salarmymidland.org/Arnold.
Because of the smoke damage, the Salvation Army was unable to open its food pantry to the community today as it typically does on Wednesdays.
A food drive collection will be held Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Salvation Army’s building, but the drive may be relocated to House 5 if the Salvation Army’s building is not reopened by the weekend, according to the report.
Rock Fire got a call at 6:52 a.m. about the fire, and the first truck arrived at 6:56 a.m., spokeswoman Alyson Rotter said.
She said firefighters found light smoke on the main floor and heavy smoke from the fire in the basement. She said the fire was extinguished and the scene was cleared at 8:26 a.m.
Rotter said the building was closed due to the smoke damage.
She said the Mehlville and Saline Valley fire protection districts assisted with the call, and the Rock Township Ambulance District responded to the building.
No one was injured, she said.