Fire closes West Shore's JCPenney

No one is hurt, but about 90 are evacuated as an escalator fire fills the store with smoke.

By REBECCA CATALANELLO, Times Staff Writer
Published September 27, 2007

Tampa Fire Rescue workers pack up after responding to a smoking escalator inside the JCPenney store at Westshore Plaza mall.
	[Daniel Wallace | Times]

TAMPA - An escalator caught fire Wednesday inside a JCPenney, forcing the WestShore Plaza store to close after it was filled with smoke.

Fifty employees and 30 to 40 customers evacuated before firefighters arrived just after 3:30 p.m., Tampa Fire Capt. Bill Wade said. No one was injured.

"It was orderly," said Jessica Hirsch, 21, who works in the shoe department. "There were actually customers who didn't want to leave."

The fire appeared to begin within the wall of the escalator on the second floor, Wade said.

"We want to get in there," said Linda Barto of St. Petersburg, who sat in the parking lot with her husband watching the 12 to 14 fire engines.

Retirees from St. Petersburg, the Bartos came to take advantage of the store's two-day, 60 percent off sale. In St. Petersburg, they'd found a pair of men's $40 cargo shorts marked down to $7.99.

They held out hope this little disaster - with smoke damage and all - might pay off for them.

"We might get 'em for $2.99 instead of $7.99," Barto said with a hearty laugh.

Store management did not answer questions. Some employees were sent home while others stood with walkie-talkies at the entrances waving off customers.

It was not clear Wednesday evening when the store might reopen.

Firefighters had to tear apart the part of the escalator wall to extinguish the fire. Other damage appeared to be confined to water and smoke damage. A steely electrical smell wafted from within the closed glass doors into the mall.

Wade said direct property losses from the fire are estimated at $2,000, but the smoke smell throughout the store and smoke damage to the merchandise may increase the amount of loss.

[Last modified September 27, 2007, 00:17:14]