EDMONTON – A fire at the Bissell Centre’s Thrift Shoppe on 88 Street and 118 Avenue caused between $350,000 and $500,000 in damages on Monday evening.
Staff say the fire broke out between 6:15 and 7 p.m., and that no one was injured in the blaze.
They add that arson is not suspected and the fire didn’t spread to any other buildings.
At this time, staff estimate the Thrift Shoppe will be closed for three to four months. They have been told that the structural and smoke damage have made the building unsafe.
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The Thrift Shoppe serves about 6,000 low income people each month. Clients use the resource to purchase affordable clothing, household items and children’s toys. The Shoppe also provides clothing to the free community closet, which 20 local agencies use for clients.
It is estimated that the fire will cause a loss in revenue of about $70,000 per month.
“We are concerned about the 15 Thrift Shoppe employees and hope they can partake in clean-up efforts or that we can find temporary employment in other Bissell Centre programs, but it’s too early to know details at this time,” said the Centre in a news release. “We are also concerned about the impact that loss of revenue and costs not covered by insurance will have on our budget.”
The Bissell Centre is currently looking for an alternate location to collect donations.
To learn more about the Bissell Centre or to offer your support, visit the website or contact staff by phone at 780-425-6594 or in person at Bissell Centre’s main office at 10527 96 Street.
Bissell Centre’s South Side Donation Centre is located at 5120 122 Street and is still in operation from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Saturday.
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