RICHMOND, Va. — An early morning fire damaged the Citgo gas station and The Tobacco Outlet along Richmond Highway near Lancelot Avenue in South Richmond on Wednesday.
The store's owner, the only person inside, escaped unharmed.
The fire was reported at 2:30 a.m. and took about an hour to extinguish.
The firefighters who responded to the store used a saw to cut their way through metal bars and the roof to extinguish the flames.
Chesterfield Fire & EMS sent an engine, a safety officer, and a battalion chief to assist after Richmond Fire called for mutual aid, according to Chesterfield Fire public information officer Lauren Russell.
An employee who didn't want to be identified said the store is well-needed in this community.
In addition to gas, the store offers food and other daily living supplies to people in an area without a lot of grocery options. Neighborhoods without easy and walkabout access to grocery stores are considered food deserts.
"It definitely means a lot to the people within the area. Nobody wants to see their property or business burned down or have any significant damage to put them out of business," Richmond Fire Capt. Travis Stokes said. "Any location that you have around here that provides resources to individuals around this is vitally important to the community."
Capt. Stokes described the damage inside the store as "moderate to heavy."
Richmond Police closed Route 1 in both directions as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames. The road was reopened at about 6:20 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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