Bi-Mart Fire, Burglary Was One of Several Overnight Break-ins in Yakima

Yakima Police say burglars broke into the Bi-Mart at North 40th Avenue and Fruitvale Boulevard early Tuesday morning and started a fire in a storage area of the building. And police spokesman Mike Bastinelli says three other burglaries at local businesses were reported early Tuesday morning as well.

"There's video from all of the burglaries so we're looking at them ... to see if they're all connected or not," Bastinelli says.
According to Bastinelli, when firefighters arrived at the Bi-Mart Tuesday morning, the back door was open and fire was found in some boxes on the second floor of the business. Damage to contents is estimated at more than $1 million. The store remains closed today.

Bi-Mart issued this statement about the closure today:

Bi-Mart’s Fruitvale store located at 1207 N. 40th Ave. will be temporarily closed while damage from a small fire is assessed and cleaned up. Bi-Mart staff are working quickly to get the store reopened as soon as possible.  Bi-Mart staff are working quickly to get the store reopened as soon as possible. Immediately, Fruitvale Bi-Mart members can get their prescriptions filled at the Fifth Avenue Bi-Mart Pharmacy. We will have extra staff on hand there to help fill prescriptions as quickly as possible. We’re working to get the Fruitvale walk-up pharmacy window back open by later this week so Fruitvale Bi-Mart members will soon be able to get their prescriptions at the Fruitvale store.

Meantime, other burglaries were reported at the Conoco at 48th and Summitview, the Tom Tom Espresso at South 40th Avenue and The Sunshine Mart at South 67th and Tieton. Police are looking at video hoping to make an arrest or arrests.