Investigators will be combing through the rubble at Holden’s Party Store in Milford to learn more about why the store caught fire Wednesday morning.
The family-owned business run by brothers Pete and Bruce Holden at 2055 South Milford is a total loss.
A possible electrical malfunction near the grease fryers could be the cause, said Milford Fire Chief Larry Waligora.
Oakland County Sheriff’s fire investigators will be examining the scene. The Milford Fire Department received the fire call at 5:18 a.m. Wednesday about a grease fire at the party store near Kensington Metropark.
When crews arrived, they found flames and heavy smoke coming from the store, said Waligora.
Mutual aid was requested, and later tanker trucks were called in because that area of Milford Road has no hydrants, said Waligora.
Firefighters from Highland, Brighton, Lyon Township, South Lyon, Commerce, Green Oak Township, Wixom, Franklin and White Lake responded to the blaze. No one was injured in the fire.
“The inventory is all gone,” said Waligora. “The roof is totally off.”
No damage estimate was available.
Pete Holden said he and brother started a party store business at nearby location in 1970, and then built the current structure in 1990.
“We will rebuild,” said Holden.
Holden’s friend Jim Christmas, who runs the Milford-based landscaping business, J.W. Christmas & Associates, said Holden’s was known for its chicken.
“It was the best in Southeast Michigan,” said Christmas.