The family that owns the Home Central hardware stores is moving to get its Vestal location back in business following a devastating fire.

Thursday's blaze tore through a large wood storage facility at the store on Stage Road.

Firefighters battled a quick-moving blaze at the Vestal Home Central store. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
Firefighters battled a quick-moving blaze at the Vestal Home Central store. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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Owner Katherine Whittemore expressed appreciation for the support the business has received from the community.

Whittemore said about 15 people had worked at the Vestal store. She said she hopes the site can be "up and running as quickly as we can."

Although the warehouse complex was destroyed by the fire, the blaze did not spread to the retail area. Whittemore said the store's computer and electrical systems were damaged by the heat from the blaze.

Whittemore said the store will reopen and the storage area will be rebuilt.

The family acquired what had been the Vestal Lumber business about 35 years ago. That location and two stores in Tioga County have operated under the Home Central name.

A Facebook post reflected Home Central's commitment to the Vestal site: "It will still be a long cleanup to get even the store up and running, but we will get there!

A Vestal firefighter at the Home Central store after the blaze was extinguished on February 13, 2020. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
A Vestal firefighter at the Home Central store after the blaze was extinguished on February 13, 2020. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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