FAIRFIELD – Thanks to an outpouring of community help, The Pantry hopes to reopen as soon as Friday after an afternoon fire Monday closed the longtime downtown market at 1580 Post Road.
“This community is something else!!!” said a post on the market’s Facebook page. “Thank you all for reaching out with offers of support, and offers to help. You can’t imagine how much that is appreciated.”
The post went on to thank the cooperation of the town’s fire, building and health departments in getting the market and up and running by this Friday. A video clip by Chef Dan Monroe reiterated customers’ help in cleaning up the store whose roof and a wall were damaged when firefighters had to break through where the fire started outside.
“We already have a professional crew working to shore up the building, which was the number one concern,” the post said.
A sign on the front door on Tuesday read: “Due to fire damage, we are closed for the remainder of the day, and will be closed tomorrow. We are all safe, but there’s been considerable damage. We will keep you updated on when we will open back up. Thank you.”
The smoke and water damage put the market’s prepared foods at risk, causing the Fairfield Building Department to shut it down. A sign posted on the front door Tuesday by the building department stated the building was deemed the building to be unsafe and that “its use or occupancy has been prohibited by the building official.”
The Pantry co-owner Andrew Rolleri told News12 he believes workers finishing up work on the parking lot accidently caused the fire when a torch they were using caught the side of the building.
The blaze was quickly knocked down after it was called in around 3 p.m. Monday, according to a Facebook post by Sayje Benjamin, a Stamford firefighter. He reported that Ladder 2 went to the roof and assisted in opening up and checking for any other damage. “Companies verified there was no further extension of the fire and ventilated the structure,” he wrote. And there were no injuries.
The Fairfield Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of this fire.
The Pantry was opened in 2003 by Rolleri and his wife Mel. Although he retired on Dec. 31, 2023, he and his wife are still active co-owners.
