By By GREG KATSKI
Community Editor
The Stop and Go gas station is reopen for business.
The gas station, located at 1000 Park Drive in Washington, reopened about a week ago after a fire destroyed much of the interior of the station in late October 2009.
The station caught fire sometime before 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 27, 2009, causing damage to cash registers, merchandise and inventory, among other things, according to owner Gus Salem.
The majority of damage done to the building was from excessive heat and smoke, said Mark Yates, division chief with the Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS-Inspections Department.
The department’s fire report estimated the property and content damage at $30,000 each.
The Washington Police Department ruled out the possibility of arson following an investigation into the fire. Department spokesman Lt. William Chrismon said the source of the fire was most likely electrical.
Over two years ago, a fire was started at the same gas station. That fire was investigated as an arson, but Chrismon said there doesn’t appear to be any connection between that fire and the fire started in late October 2009.
Salem, who has owned the Stop and Go for five years, said he has already gotten feedback from his “regular” customers since reopening.
“Customers that live in the neighborhood are glad I’m back,” he said.
On Monday afternoon, retired Washington resident Mary Alice King welcomed Salem back to the neighborhood while purchasing gas at the station.
“We missed you so much,” she said, telling Salem to give her best to his wife and family.
In the two-plus months that the gas station has been closed, Salem said he’s lost some of his customers.
“I hope to get them back,” he said.
Salem said that when the N.C. Highway 32 bridge connecting Washington to Washington Park reopens, he expects to get even more business back.
Salem said all the repair work done to his gas station was covered by insurance. The Stop and Go offers everything that it did before the fire, including gas, beer, soda, snacks, ice cream and lottery tickets.
Salem said people were impressed with how quickly the repair work to the station was done.
“Customers were surprised I did it (the repair work) that quick,” he said.