'We will rebuild:' Owner of Indiana County firearms store vows to rebuild after massive fire
Burrell Township (KDKA) - A gun shop in Indiana County will have to be rebuilt after an intense fire damaged the business and set off ammunition inside the building.
In a cell phone video captured by a viewer, sounds of ammunition bursting could be heard as flames grew stronger inside Aim First Firearms in Burrell Township on Tuesday night. People who were nearby said they heard lots of loud pops from the ammo going off.
"Our alarm system called us, and our alerts were going off. We came here and by the time we got here, it was already in flames," said Cory Schaeffer, the owner of Aim First Firearms.
His business has been around since 2017 but they just moved into this location on Old William Penn Highway in October.
Multiple fire departments rushed to the smokey scene after 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
"It was fully engulfed at least in the bigger half. The fire department was here shortly after I was. They got it knocked down pretty quick. They saved the other half of the building," Schaeffer said.
Shaeffer's shop was closed at the time of the fire. He's grateful no one was hurt and that firefighters stayed safe while fighting the blaze.
According to the Black Lick Volunteer Fire Company, firefighters made a defensive attack and quick-thinking crews opened the roof above the front door to keep the fire from spreading to the other half of the building.
The damage to the main part of the building is severe and appears to be destroyed. Schaeffer said the other part of the building sustained a lot of water and smoke damage.
"We had talked to the fire department beforehand when we moved down here… let them know where our ammo is inside the building, and they knew when they pulled in they were fighting it defensively because obviously, we don't want any firemen getting injured trying to protect our property full of live ammunitions," he said.
Schaeffer said his employees will be out of work for a while.
He has insurance for his shop and now they'll have to rebuild from the ground up.
"I mean we will rebuild. It's going to take a while, but it is what it is. No one got hurt, and no one got injured. It's just stuff. It's all replaceable," said Schaeffer.
The State Police Fire Marshal investigated the scene. According to the Black Lick Volunteer Fire Company, the fire marshal found the fire to be electrical in nature. State Police have not confirmed their initial findings yet.
