Fire in Mountain Grove

Nine area fire departments responded to a pair of structure fires on Sunday, Feb. 1 in Mountain Grove with many firefighters still monitoring the  area through the early morning of Monday, Feb. 2.
Mountain Grove Fire Chief Clinton Gibbens said his department responded to a call that came in around 6:22 p.m. on Sunday night and first responders discovered heavy smoke coming from a former radiator shop in the 300 block of W. 3rd St.
The fire then extended into Discount Dave’s Carpet and Flooring, which is adjacent to the shop.
With the combination of a metal building and a large amount of carpet rolls, Chief Gibbens said it took quite some time for things to burn down.
Since it was determined that nobody was in any of the buildings, no firefighters were sent directly into the structures. There were also no reported injuries to firefighters working the scene.
Chief Gibbens did call the state fire marshal to notify him of the large structure fire and their office will determine the cause of the blaze and where it started.
With temperatures being below freezing, Chief Gibbens said one challenge of fighting the blaze is that the water was freezing on the ground and resulting in slick conditions.
City of Mountain Grove crews then spread salt to help firefighters with their traction.
On their Facebook page, Discount Dave’s made the following statement:
“Last night was a tough one for our family and team. Our Mountain Grove store caught fire, and while the building was damaged, we are beyond grateful that everyone is safe. We want to sincerely thank the firefighters and first responders who worked through the night; your efforts mean more than we can ever express. Our Springfield location is open and ready to take care of all customers. Call 417-862-DAVE or message us here anytime. Our Mountain Grove location will remain closed until further notice.”
As for Ron Sanders’ former radiator shop, the location was currently being renovated.