Flames engulf Action Pawn killeen TX

[peyton]

My local gun store goes up in flames! I bought several items from them and never for the price on the sales tag!!

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=27457

Flames engulf Action Pawn
Posted on: Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 12:44 AM
Herald/Sarah Moore Kuschell

The Killeen Fire Department responded to a possible tree fire at 9:39 p.m. Tuesday behind Action Pawn on Fort Hood Street and Central Texas Expressway.

When they arrived at the scene, firefighters realized the Action Pawn building was on fire instead.

Initially, firefighters entered the building, but they were quickly called out as it became engulfed in flames.

Killeen Fire Chief Jerry Gardner said officials were worried the building, which contained live ammunition, would collapse, so they began fighting the flames from outside and above.

At 11:15 p.m., aerial trucks from Killeen, Fort Hood and Harker Heights were still fighting to contain the flames and prevent the building from collapsing on nearby structures, including a Shell gas station next door. Electricity was shut off in the area.

Hundreds of people gathered in the Wendy's parking lot and at Eisenhower National Bank to watch firefighters try to contain the blaze. Officials diverted all Fort Hood Street traffic from Central Texas Expressway to the Gold's Gym parking lot while firefighters worked.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Gardner said initial reports showed Action Pawn's security alarm had been triggered shortly before firefighters arrived on scene; however, he said the fire could have triggered the alarm.

Gardner expected the fire department to remain on site until mid-morning to keep a watch on any hot spots.

Once the fire is out completely, an investigator will enter the building and attempt to determine a cause as well as account for all the ammunition in the building, he said.

That may be a difficult task, according to Ron Kelly, the gun department manager at Action Pawn. He said the Fort Hood Street store is among the top five largest pawn shops in Texas. "Whatever was left of the gun department is gone," he said.

 

[vpost]

I have bought a few guns from there and Ron is always a pleasure to talk to, now my Sundays have no meaning!

 

[Glock_Holiday]

It's sad to see a small business suffer something like that. Hopefully he was insured. Although insurance never replaces everything.

GH

 

[Treo]

So what happens to all his firearms sales records? Is there now no record of those sales?

 

[Rokyudai]

Do you fill out 4473's at pawnshops? Losing those maybe not so bad.

 

[armedandsafe]

I've always had to fill out the 4473 and some other papers as well (city and state records for pawn shops.) At least there are some records that won't get stored by the feds.

Pops

 

[peyton]

Update today, hope their safe could stand the heat! Now I have been in the store and it was built stout,

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=27528

Killeen fire investigators and federal officials rummaged through the charred remains of Action Pawn on Wednesday, hours after a late-night blaze destroyed the pawnshop.

Killeen Fire Chief Jerry Gardner said Wednesday evening that investigators had not determined a cause, but they were close to defining where the fire ignited, near the southwest corner of the building.

Fire crews from Killeen, Fort Hood, and Harker Heights experienced a sleepless night as they struggled to contain the blaze and get water beyond the collapsed roofs and deep into the roots of the blaze.

Initially, firefighters responding to the fire at 9:39 p.m. Tuesday entered the building, but they were quickly called out because of fears the building might collapse and the possibility for live ammunition to explode.

After more than six hours of three aerial fire trucks dousing the fire with 1,500 gallons of water per minute, the fire was extinguished early Wednesday. Crews remained at the scene putting out hot spots in the morning and throughout the day coordinating the investigation.

Gardner described the building as a "complete and total loss," but he also stated that the building's vault that housed high-dollar items such as guns and jewelry may have withstood the fire. If temperatures outside the vault did not become too high, then some items inside may have been spared.

The extent of the damage to the vault will not be determined for several days while crews attempt to determine the cause and clear pathways through the concrete slabs and fallen roofing.

An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was at the scene Wednesday. The ATF oversees all federally licensed firearms dealers, and officials must account for the guns inside the store. Gardner said some of the weapons were buried beneath a

concrete wall that collapsed.

The building left many of the pawnshop's customers wondering how they will be compensated for its

items. Gardner said customers should keep their records proving ownership and provide them to Action Pawn at a later date.

The items are expected to be covered by insurance. Also, Action Pawn maintains their records through an off-site server that should not have been impacted by the fire.

An Action Pawn representative who declined to be named said the business' main phone line at (254) 634-4488 will be reactivated over the next few days to assist customers who may have been affected. In the meantime, customers are urged to contact other Action Pawn stores. In addition, the official stated that Action Pawn will begin operating out of a warehouse behind the building that burned Tuesday within the next two weeks.

The official anticipated that Action Pawn will be rebuilt at the same location at some point in the future.

 

[machinisttx]

A member over at AR15.com said his Yugo AK got burned up in that fire.

 

[Hank Zudd]

pawn shops make you fill out a yellow form when you pick up your own gun from hock. at least they used to.

 

[scrat]

Wow thats not good. Hopefully not that many people have lost their guns. Hoepfully the insurance will take care of them.

 

[peyton]

Here is another update: damn I knew I should of kept the receipt for the M1 Tank I pawned there!!
Action Pawn blaze declared an accident
Posted on: Friday, August 29, 2008, 4:04 AM

Killeen Daily Herald

Investigators believe the fire that destroyed Action Pawn on Tuesday and ruined valuables belonging to local customers was an accident, Killeen Fire Chief Jerry Gardner said Thursday.

Gardner said investigators from the Killeen Fire Marshal's Office and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were concluding an investigation that determined the fire at Action Pawn on Fort Hood Street was an accident.

While the cause of the fire has not been identified, no suspicious circumstances were found near where the fire started to indicate it was started intentionally.

People who lost property in the Action Pawn fire can expect their items to be replaced by a similar item in comparable condition, said Mark Whiteford, operations manager for Action Pawn.

Whiteford said once the investigation is complete and the building is released back to the owners, they will get equipment to clear the area and gather any spared items. Whiteford said he is "fairly confident" the jewelry and guns stored in the vault were not damaged by the blaze, but will not know for certain until the vault is opened.

Whiteford said that since Action Pawn has an extensive inventory at its many stores, including eight in San Antonio alone, the owners are optimistic they will be able to replace items customers lost with similar items.

"We're going to take care of our customers, so the people that have lost their merchandise destroyed in the fire, we're going to replace it with like merchandise. If they have a 2006, 25-inch TV Sears brand, we're going to try and find them a 25-inch same year TV, and same model to where they are happy," he said.

Whiteford said the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner governs pawnshops and indicates that in the case of fire, items must be replaced by similar items.

Whiteford expects Action Pawn to reopen next week in the warehouse located behind the destroyed building. From the new warehouse, owners will assist customers in getting their items replaced and begin plans for rebuilding Action Pawn at the same site, but "bigger and better," Whiteford said.

When the shop reopens, the hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In the meantime, concerned customers are urged to contact other Action Pawn stores.

"We've been here 30 years and our customers have been with us, and we're going to take care of them," Whiteford said.