Fire erupts at Gary furniture store Wednesday night

Gary Fire Chief Larry Tillman credited a quick response from firefighters for reducing damage at a furniture store fire Wednesday night.

Firefighters responded to the structure fire at Summer Furniture, 3320 Grant St., about 9:30 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, they witnessed heavy smoke and flames venting through the roof.

“Our crews worked quickly and aggressively to contain and extinguish this fire,” said Tillman. “Their immediate response prevented a complete loss of the structure, although the inventory suffered significant damage.”

A release said the fire was contained to the center-rear area with an extension into the ceiling; the most significant impact was heavy smoke damage across the inventory.

The building was closed at the time, and no injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation by the Gary Fire Department, in coordination with the Gary Police Department, the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office in the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On Thursday, store owners sat in a pickup truck and watched investigators sort through the damage. A man who asked not to be identified said his family has owned the furniture store for about 30 years.

Jeff Roseboom, a fire marshal investigator with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, said it’s too early to determine the cause of the fire.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.