Heavy fire breaks out at Jackson’s Variety store in Fairhaven

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (WLNE) – A two-alarm fire broke out at Jackson’s Variety store in Fairhaven Monday morning.

Firefighters were called around 7:45 a.m. Monday to the variety store on Manhattan Avenue to battle the fire. 

Officials say two people were taken to a local hospital.

One suffered serious burns and the other suffered minor burns as well as smoke inhalation.

However, firefighters did run into some trouble in trying to put out the fire.

“It was a stubborn fire,” Fairhaven Fire Chief Timothy Francis said.

Colleen Jackson’s father, sister, and niece live on the second floor of the building and that’s where most of the damage from the blaze happened. 

“The sun room was on fire. So [my sister] immediately went to the right bedrooms where [my niece] was in bed awake,” Jackson said. “She got her up and she got my father out of bed who was sleeping and they tried to get him up but hes in a wheelchair.”

That’s when Jackson said some good samaritans ran inside to help.

“Thank god for good samaritans because some big men came by and were able to get my father down those stairs and over the side fence,” she said.

Although her family made it to safety, it’s a day that will take Jackson a long time to get over.

“Where is my father going to live? He’s in a wheelchair. He doesn’t have an ounce of clothing on his back right now,” she said. “We are really devastated right now. We lost everything. We have just lost everything. My sister’s job, my parents home.”

Jackson’s Variety has been a staple in Fairhaven for more than 50 years, and the news is devastating for longtime customer Paula Pires.

“I go there every single morning before work and every single night on the way home,” Pires said. “They’re just wonderful people and they’ve been here forever.”

No firefighters were hurt while battling the fire.

The cause remains under investigation. 

A Gofundme page has been posted to help the Jackson family rebuild the store.

This is a developing story. Stay with ABC6 for updates as more information becomes available