Published: December 11, 2006 04:52 pm            

Fire doesn't deter Christmas shoppers

MENTOR, Ohio — An electrical fire that filled a department store with thick smoke didn’t deter holiday shoppers, and firefighters had to block the doors to keep customers from entering, authorities said.

No one was injured in the fire Wednesday at Dillards South at Great Lakes Mall, but some bargain hunters were inconvenienced.

“It was amazing,” said fire Battalion Chief Joe Busher. “Even though there was heavy smoke in there, they all wanted to stay and shop. We even had to put people at the door to keep people from coming in.”

The fire burned circuits of a high-voltage electrical panel near a women’s dressing room, firefighters said. It took them eight minutes to put it out.

Busher estimated fire damage to the electrical panel and surrounding areas at $30,000. He said the merchandise suffered about $100,000 in smoke damage.

        

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