MANISTEE, Mich. - Firefighters battled a blaze at the Dublin General Store in Manistee on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 31, and now investigators believe the fire was intentionally set.
In a Facebook post by the Manistee County Sheriff's Office, they said they have evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set based on careful reviews of surveillance video and their preliminary investigation.
The fire started around 2:50 a.m. Saturday in the front corner of the hardware section of the store, according to Norman Township Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Funk, the Manistee News Advocate reported.
The Sheriff's Office said the fire investigator was on scene Saturday morning and began his initial investigation, and he returned with his canine -- which specializes in accelerants -- to investigate further.
They are currently awaiting results from the lab.
The store posted on Facebook Saturday morning saying they "are all currently at a loss for words."
The Advocate said the store had been open since 1935 and in recent years, its jerky selection has added to its fame.
The sheriff's office added that the incident is very complex and additional details are limited at this time, but they will keep the public informed.
Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact Manistee Central Dispatch at 231-723-6241.
Other headlines from 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.