Even though his cycle and ski shop was badly burned in a fire on Friday night, Fresh Air Experience owner Peter Tofinetti wasn't about to take Saturday off work.
Tofinetti was surrounded by friends and family under a tent in the parking lot next door while Thunder Bay Police Service officers combed over the May Street property where the "suspicious" fire took place the night before,
Members of the cycling, running and skiing communities stopped by through the day on Saturday to offer coffee, food, baked goods and gift certificates and share in both grief and hope.
"The outpouring of support from the community has been absolutely overwhelming," Tofinetti said.
"They're what makes our store so special. We'll be back, better than ever."
A Thunder Bay Fire & Rescue release recounted the event from 9:30 p.m. Friday when heavy stock piled in the back of the store hampered efforts to suppress the smoke and flames pouring out the rear of the building.
Firefighters burst through Fresh Air's front windows and those of the adjacent buisnesses when the fire spread to the showroom.
Crews doused the fire after deploying the aerial ladder when flames burst through the roof.
When it was finally quashed, the fire had badly damaged the rear of the building, causing extensive smoke damage to the rest of the business.
The fire department's release states, "the fire is suspicious in nature."
No one was inside the building when it burned.
