Chain Lake Self Storage in Monroe, Wash., celebrated a grand re-opening last weekend after recovering from a Nov. 15 fire that destroyed about 20 percent of the facility. The three-alarm fire caused an estimated $1 million-plus in damages.

Many of the firefighters who responded to the blaze attended the grand re-opening, which included prizes, a hot dog lunch and ice cream from Moonie Icy Tunes. Facility manager Cherie Churchill said the celebration was to say thanks to the community.

The event also included a Stuff the Truck challenge, in which attendees were asked to donate non-perishable food items to benefit the Sky Valley Food Bank, a charity Chain Lake Self Storage regularly supports through food donations.

The fire began in the early morning and soon turned into a three-alarm blaze, requiring 60 firefighters from King and Snohomish counties to respond. Building A, which included 116 self-storage units, was destroyed. Additional units in other buildings also had smoke or fire damage.  

The reconstruction of the damaged buildings took six months. Building A was rebuilt in a similar layout as the previous structure.

Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire, but do not believe there was a criminal element involved, said Monroe Fire Marshal Michael Fitzgerald.

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