The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Edwin Lee woke up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning and looked out his bedroom window and saw fire shooting out of his grocery store's roof that he and his wife Cathryn own and operate as CEDER PINE DISCOUNT GROCERIES.
Edwin called the fire department and gathered family members and they were able to pull out items from the basement garage and storage area under the store, including three buggies, an open buggy, and a wagon they use for Christmas walks or parades to give rides during village festivities, but then the fire and smoke made it impossible to continue any rescue attempt. Luckily, no one was hurt except a dog, named Twinkie who came out from the basement coughing and in a bad mood. Dan said she didn't bark for two days, probably due to inhaling smoke, but she now seems to have her bark back on Tuesday.
Fire trucks were from the Roseville Fire Dept., with MST, Raritan, Swan Creek, and Kirkwood assisting. Upon arrival, firemen first hosed down the home which was 100 feet to the south of the store. The store was too far gone to save, but, according to Edwin's brother, Dan Lee, owner of Blue Jay Barns, there was 50 feet of Edwin's grass between his house and the store that was already brown from the fire, and a tree burnt.
Although the store was completely destroyed, Lee said the firemen made it possible to save most of the cement blocks, and they kept the cement from cracking where the buggies were stored. Edwin said if you buy one buggy for $6,000, you have gotten a good deal.
The store had over 200 lbs. of meat in a freezer that was saved which is now being used to feed over 40 Amish men who come to work, 10 or 12 women who came to cook and help Cathryn, and many children who come daily.
Dan explained when asked about insurance, that a letter goes out to Amish families across the state telling of fires and the loss and need and each family is assess a fee according to their income to help.
Sunday many came to help with cleanup and they held church in the evening. The firemen cleaned off the cement with their hose and Monday most of the cleanup was finished and over 100 concrete blocks were laid and a concrete truck came and filled the blocks. Tuesday the subfloor was put down and will be ready for the walls by Wednesday.
Although the rebuild process sounds fast, Dan said it will actually be a month or two before the store is open again, he estimates, due to the inside work being more time-consuming, waiting on supplies and a new cooling system.
They believe the fire was caused by an over-heated reefer which he explained was a semi-trailer they were using for the cooling system.
They won't be using that again, he said.
Dan said people brought food and donuts were brought by Caseys in Roseville, plus free-will offering to help with the rebuild.
"We are blessed with plenty of work and plenty of food," and no deed is too big or too small to be noticed and appreciated. People drive us to get things and that's a blessing too."
Dan said, many Amish gather to work but anyone is welcome to help. We've appreciated the firemen and all who responded so quickly which helped save the house and most of the basement at the grocery store.
Dan said Brad Beard of Roseville had several items stored at the store due to the COVID-19, and not being allowed to take the items to South Dakota to the Indians, which was lost in the fire.
Edwin and Cathryn have 12 children and several are married with their own businesses. Dan explained that among their community, one runs a lumber yard and was able to order needed wood and tresses, etc. another owns a mini escavator to help with cleanup Monday and also has a roofing business, another owns a metal business, and another makes posts and beams and round bail feeders and gates and does welding, another makes vinyl windows, and yet another has a foam spraying business and will do the insulation.
He said they might start by doing all sorts of things and then find one thing they really like to do and then go into doing that as a business.
Their insurance is in the form of being a good neighbor and community member in good times and hard times.
CEDER PINE DISCOUNT GROCERIES 100 feet south of Edwin and Cathryn Lee's two-story home on IL Route 116, was completely destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. -drone photo taken by Jeremy Simmons
CEDER PINE DISCOUNT GROCERIES after a fire Sunday, and before cleanup. -photo courtesy Jean Crotts