Smoke billows from the eaves of the chocolate and espresso business on U.S. Highway 12. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The candy store across from the middle school in Rochester is no more.
Fire broke out at the business on the 9900 block of U.S. Highway 12, and the smoke was noticed by a passing motorist who called 911 just before 6 o’clock this morning, according to the fire department.
The wooden structure built in approximately 1901 is a complete loss, a spokesperson for West Thurston Regional Fire Authority said.
Spokesperson Lt. Lanette Dyer said everything that was inside is lost as well.
“We tried to gain access through the front door, but there was so much smoke and heat, it actually pushed us back,” Dyer said.
Dyer said Meagan’s Candy Cottage, previously Conner’s Candy Cottage, has been a presence there for some 20 years, and was a candy shop before that as well.
They’re chocolatiers, known for their handmade product, and a lovely family, she said.
“Obviously the community is in mourning,” she said.
Nobody was there at that hour, according to Dyer. And nobody was injured.
The cause of the fire is being investigated, but it’s not suspicious, she said.
A post on Meagan’s Candy Cottage’s Facebook page around 10 a.m. announced it was an electrical fire and they would be closed until further notice.
Dyer said the establishment leases the building from the property owner, and both have insurance.
The interior of the Candy Cottage is charred and smoke damaged. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter