Nearly two weeks after a fire destroyed the Dollar General store on SH 321 at SH 105 in Tarkington on Aug. 12, there are still no answers as to what started the blaze.
Liberty County Fire Marshal Bill Hergemueller said the digital video recording of the store in the moments before the fire could provide some clues once it is reviewed by the state fire marshal’s office and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
“The ATF is always brought in when the loss is over a certain dollar figure. This one is probably going to reach over $2 million,” Hergemueller said. “The state always brings these folks in as well. It’s a joint investigation by the state fire marshal’s office, the Liberty County Fire Marshal’s Office, ATF and Liberty County Sheriff’s Investigator Travis Pierce.”
Hergemueller knows residents in the Tarkington community are anxious for answers but asks that they be patient.
“We are going to be looking into it hot and heavy next week,” he said.
As to when the case will be resolved, he said, “It’s a toss of a coin. I just don’t have an answer right now.”