Chief Joe Mansell attacks the fire. Multiple units were called to battle the flames. Authorities say the fire was fully involved by the time firefighters reached the scene.

By Alison James

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

A quick blaze Saturday morning meant a total loss of Rhonda’s Pink Panda Thrift Store, 515 St. Clair St., behind Foodland in Russellville.

Firefighters responded to the scene quickly, but Chief Joe Mansell said he knew the situation was dire when he stepped out of his house, nearly two miles away from the business, and could see the smoke.

The deputy state fire marshal was in town yesterday to go over the scene with local fire authorities. Russellville Fire Marshal Justin Green said with the intensity of the fire, he doesn’t have a lot of evidence to work with to determine the origin. The investigation is ongoing.

The building was unoccupied when the fire began. Owner Rhonda Fitzgerald was heartbroken when she received the call from her daughter Saturday morning. She said she was “real particular” with her “baby.”

“I cut the breaker off every single day,” Fitzgerald said. “I really really want to know what happened.”

Green estimated the fire was fully-involved for about 15 minutes before firefighters showed up on scene. The business next door had a security camera that provided some footage of the fire, beginning with just a little smoke before flames start pouring out of the building.

“It was best just to try to make a defensive attack,” Mansell said.

Mansell said they also brought on volunteer firefighters and the Tharptown station to help battle the blaze; the extra firefighters allowed them to rotate people in and out more often, limiting the risk of someone being impaired by the hot summer temperatures.

Fitzgerald has operated the Pink Panda since 2008. Active in the community, Fitzgerald said she hasn’t been able to understand why this has happened to her. By the time she reached her business Saturday, there was nothing to do but “sit there and look at it burn.”

“You’re not supposed to question God, and I’m trying not to question God,” Fitzgerald said, her voice breaking. “I feel like I got whooped up on.”

She is currently operating in a building across the street she began renting last month, the old Video and Varmints building, which she had intended to try to use just for thrift furniture. Friends and family banded together with Fitzgerald over the weekend and through this week to help get her business back up and running.

The support doesn’t stop there. A gofundme has been set up to raise funds for Fitzgerald, an effort being spearheaded by Audrey Herring, of Audrey’s Gifts and Décor.

“I just want to do anything I can to help her get back on her feet because she is a really good asset to our community,” said Herring, who was on her way to work when she saw the smoke. “I was just kind of heartbroken. I’d like to be able to see her rebuild and have an even bigger location than she did before. She can offer so much for our area.”

The gofundme, which is an online donation account, can be found at www.gofundme.com/z7hayk.

Fitzgerald said she is also hoping for donations of building supplies.

“I feel like I’ve got to rebuild,” she said. “That’s the only right thing to do.”

To reach Fitzgerald, call 256-324-1127.