Napoleon Drug Store destroyed by fire

NAPOLEON, N.D. (AP) — A fire possibly caused by a faulty furnace has destroyed the Napoleon Drug Store. No one was hurt.

Neighbors said the fire started shortly after the drug store owner, Charlotte Young, turned on the furnace about 9:30 a.m. Monday. Businesses on either side of the drug store were evacuated.

“I came in at 9 o’clock and it was a little bit cold back by the pharmacy, so I kicked in the furnace,” Young said. “About 20 minutes later, I smelled smoke.”

Firefighters were there within minutes, but they said it was too late.

“By the time we got hydrant pressure to it, there was flames already coming through the roof and wherever they could come out,” Napoleon Fire Chief Marvin Leng said. “The windows had already blown out at that point.”

Young was able to save a computer with the store’s medical records. A temporary pharmacy is being set up.

Volunteers quickly started working Monday to prepare a building nearby.

“I think we plan to rebuild,” Young said. “I’m fairly positive we plan to rebuild.”

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