Burglar sets fire that guts east Macon restaurant, grocery store

The fire early Friday that gutted an east Macon business was no accident.

At about 6 a.m., Macon-Bibb County firefighters were called to K’s Fish & More grocery at 357 Hall Street off Gray Highway.

Arson investigator Lt. Ben Gleaton said it appears someone set fire to the building after breaking through the cinder block back wall of the building behind Fincher’s Bar-B-Q.

“We’ve got some signs of forced entry,” Gleaton said.

He dusted for fingerprints on the power meter that had been removed from the building, possibly to cut power to alarm and surveillance systems prior to the break-in and fire.

Firefighters had to pull sheet metal off the front of the building as they fought the flames in the restaurant that also sells groceries.

“It’s pretty well gutted,” Gleaton said.

The fire was reported less than three hours after a major blaze burned The Cliffs apartments about a mile up Gray Highway off Clinton Road.

“That’s just a coincidence,” said Gleaton who did not think the fires are related, although it is possible the arsonist was taking advantage of fire crews being busy with the apartment fire.

Fish & More customer Samuel Pitts watched as firefighters mopped up the scene at about 9 a.m.

“I just couldn’t believe it when I got the phone call from my neighbor because she was down here,” Pitts said. “This is sad for people who own the building and it’s sad for the people. A lot of people eat food here. I do. They sell some of the best food.”

Pitts, who lives up the street, said Fish & More and Fincher’s Bar-B-Q do a brisk business just off the Gray Highway thoroughfare.

“I hope they have things covered to rebuild the place, or whatever, or move to another location because it doesn’t look like this place can be salvaged,” Pitts said.

Anyone with information about the fire and burglary is urged to phone anonymous tips to Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 877-68-CRIME or the Georgia Arson Hotline at 1-800-282-5804.

This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 12:52 PM.