Parkway Pharmacy Fire Cause Determined

April 29, 2010
The cause of a fire that destroyed the Parkway Pharmacy on April 22 has been determined. Investigators from Arab Fire & Rescue worked throughout the week to pin point the origin and cause of the fire.

Arab Fire Chief Ricky Phillips released the following statement about the fire, "The results of the investigation revealed an electrical short in the circuit that feeds power to the sign on front of the store and a vent fan in the eave of the building. The short resulted in the fire starting above the ceiling on the south side of the building near the drive through window. It appears that the fire smoldered for a time in the insulation and building materials in that area before getting enough oxygen to sustain the fire. Once conditions were met, the fire developed and quickly spread throughout the ceiling area of the building. Inspection of the building and electrical system by fire and building officials indicate that the building met code requirements prior to the fire."

Phillips said the professionalism and cooperation among all of the agencies and individuals involved in the investigation contributed to the quick determination of the cause of the fire. "At this point, the case is closed. Fire officials have met with insurance agents, claims adjusters, the building owner, city building officials and various state and federal agencies throughout the investigation."