ST. MARYS, W.Va. — St. Marys Mayor Paul Ingram said the damage to the Galaxy Food Center in Pleasants County will affect shoppers in the area for the time being.
“Anytime you have a fire at this magnitude involving just a few grocery stores, it will have an impact,” said Ingram.
The Galaxy, located along Route 2 in St. Marys, was destroyed after a fire tore through the building Saturday afternoon.
During this ongoing investigation, officials said the the fire was likely caused by a bad compressor near the store’s freezer section. There were no injuries reported.
Ingram said the store is one of only a few grocery options for people to shop at in the area.
He said residents will have to look elsewhere to shop for groceries, with some convenient stores in town and one other major grocery store in downtown St. Marys.
Looking ahead, Ingram said the Galaxy store owner plans to rebuild a “bigger and better” supermarket.
“That would be a positive sign from a negative impact,” said Ingram, “We’ll make it.”