A retail market for Schafer Fisheries in Fulton, Illinois caught fire and was destroyed.
The market, located at 21985 Waller Road, caught fire Friday, April 24, 2015. The owner said the smoker was open and likely caused the fire. Three employees were inside at the time.
The building is a complete loss, according to the owner. The fire caused more than $1 million in damages and more than $100,000 worth of fish was lost.
Company officials said they believed the fire broke out around noon, according to a report by the QC Times.
The market had tanks of live fish inside, many of which are still alive. The owner said they were trying to figure out how to get to those remaining fish.
Shafer Fisheries has been in operation since 1955 and offers several different fish products. According to their website, Schafer Fisheries is the largest processor and wholesale/retail fresh fish distributor in the Midwest.
The company has a processing facility in Thomson, Illinois that opened in 2004. They also have collection facilities in southeastern Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kentucky.
Several fire departments were on scene Friday afternoon to help put out the blaze including Fulton, Thomson, and Clinton Fire Departments.
