St. Paul food market demolished; fire cause undetermined

Crews have demolished a food market in St. Paul where a fire killed a beloved butcher.

Fire investigators supervised the demolition Friday of Stasny's Food Market. Fire marshal Steve Zaccard says the extensive damage made it impossible to determine the cause of the blaze.

Zaccard says there was nothing to indicate the fire was suspicious.

The market's owner, Jim Stasny, identified the victim as 77-year-old Stu Gerr, who worked as a butcher at the store. Gerr's widow, Cynthia, believes her husband was sleeping in the basement when the fire broke out early Thursday.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Stu Gerr called Stasny's wife while he was trying to get out, but firefighters found him dead at the bottom of the basement stairs. He died of smoke inhalation.