The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that a commercial building fire that occurred in Dover was accidental in nature, according to Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal B. Scott Bullock.
Bullock said on August 11, 2021, at 8:47 pm, the Camden-Wyoming Fire Company was alerted to a building fire at 1678 S. Governors Ave in the Rodney Village Shopping Center. Fire department units responded and arrived with heavy smoke coming from the Rent-A-Center store in the strip shopping mall. A 2nd alarm was struck for the incident bringing in several neighboring fire companies to assist, as well as Kent County Paramedics. The fire was placed under control just before 10:00 pm.
Deputy State Fire Marshals responded to the scene to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire. Deputies determined the fire originated above a storage closet, above the ceiling, in the Rent-A-Center unit.
The cause was determined to be an electrical failure in the fixed branch circuitry, said Bullock. The fire was contained to the Rent-A-Center unit, however, the adjoining units were damaged by smoke and water. Damages are estimated at $50,000. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
