An H-E-B grocery store in north Fort Worth will remain closed Friday after an electrical fire inside a meat case prompted a multi-alarm response and forced the evacuation of customers and employees, according to the company and fire officials.
The fire broke out around 8 p.m. Thursday at the H-E-B Alliance store, located at 3451 Heritage Trace Parkway, east of Interstate 35W. The location was the grocery chain’s first store to open in Fort Worth.
When firefighters arrived, they found flames showing from the rear of the more than 125,000-square-foot building. Because of the store’s size and the unknown number of people inside, Fort Worth Fire Department officials requested second- and third-alarm responses to assist with evacuation efforts.
Firefighters from Haslet and Saginaw also responded to assist. Officials said the store’s sprinkler system and an aggressive interior attack helped bring the fire under control in less than 15 minutes.
H-E-B said an isolated electrical fire in a meat case caused the blaze.
“H-E-B Alliance experienced an isolated electrical fire in a meat case. It has been contained, and there were no injuries,” the company said in a statement, Fox 4 KDFW reported.
Although the fire damage was largely confined to the back corner of the store, smoke spread throughout the building. A large industrial fan from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was brought in to help ventilate the structure.
The company said the store will remain closed on Friday while crews clean the affected area, replace damaged products, and assess the building. H-E-B has not announced when the store will reopen.
The pharmacy drive-thru will remain open during normal business hours despite the store closure.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the electrical fire remains under investigation.