Historic Market in Ohio Destroyed

A Licking County general store erupted in flames on Monday night, destroying the historic building and threatening area buildings. The fire started at the Jersey Deli Mart at the corner of Morse and Headley's Mill roads in Jersey Township shortly before 8 p.m., NBC 4's Mindy Drayer reported. Officials said the building was a complete loss, so they were forced to fight the fire defensively from outside. According to firefighters, the nearest fire hydrant was five miles away. When one of the hydrants ran dry, crews used tanker trucks to transport water to the site. Fire crews said they were trying to salvage nearby buildings. Fire investigators determined that an electrical problem sparked after hours, causing the blaze. "With the age of the building and the fact that there's no alarm system in it, (the fire) pretty much had to be seen by somebody away from the business," said John Singleton, fire investigator. The store used to be an old schoolhouse that was built in 1800. "Another one of our historical buildings is gone," said Milly Shaffer, a Jersey historian. Shaffer said the current owners said they plan to build a new Jersey Deli Mart. The owners said they had insurance, but there is no way to replace the history and emotions attached to the building. No injuries were reported. Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.