ST PAUL, Minn. — The Lunds & Byerlys in Downtown St. Paul will be closed until further notice after the grocery store was damaged by fire Tuesday morning that investigators believe was intentionally set.
A ball of flames lit up the downtown St. Paul skyline as the outside of the 10th Street store burned.
Lunds & Byerlys sustained a significant amount of exterior damage, according to store spokesman Aaron Sorenson. The business suffered minor damage inside as the building's sprinkler system was activated by smoke and flames, but fire officials say there was no flame extension into the building, including apartments above the store.
Sorenson said there was an overnight crew working at the time the fire started and everyone escaped without injury.
Donna Alexander, who lives above the store, described what it was like to evacuate overnight to KARE 11.
"I think we were one of the last people out but when I met the neighbors down here, you know with their dogs and stuff, some people were in their pajamas and just shivering," Alexander said. "There were a couple of our elderly friends who had walkers. They were staying in the lobby and they couldn't get back upstairs when we got in because the elevators were turned off … so I certainly hope that they got upstairs okay."
Later Tuesday afternoon, the St. Paul Fire Department posted on Twitter that it is believed the fire was intentionally set. Store officials have handed surveillance video over to investigators in hopes of identifying the person responsible.
Video posted on social media shows the intensity of the flames as fire crews worked to put down the blaze.
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