The Mid-Ohio Market at Norton Road is back open today, a day after a fire broke out outside its main entrance. Thankfully, no one was inside when it happened, and there were no injuries.
Early Tuesday morning, Columbus and Franklin Township fire crews were dispatched to the scene around 1:30 a.m. and contained the fire within four minutes, according to Battalion Chief Jeffrey Geitter. Mid-Ohio Food Collective staff arrived shortly afterward and found that the interior of the building and most of the food inventory were largely unaffected.
“The damage appears to be mostly external,” Erich Hiner, communications director for the collective, told WOSU. A small amount of food, including some cabbage and bread, was discarded as a precaution, but the majority of the market’s offerings remained safe.
The Mid-Ohio Market serves roughly 2,000 families each week.
The collective said it worked quickly with fire officials to ensure the site was safe to reopen. The Norton Road location welcomed the public again at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 21, and will operate from 12 to 7 p.m.
The Mid-Ohio Food Collective thanked first responders for their rapid response and professionalism, and urged anyone seeking updates on the market’s schedule to check its social media channels. For other food access resources in the area, visitors can also use freshtrak.com.
Even with the scare, staff said the market remains committed to providing no-cost groceries to families in need, and the brief closure will not affect regular service.
