Fire Damages Skippack Businesses [UPDATE]

Hours before  the first Skippack First Friday festivities of the season were set to begin, a two-alarm fire broke out on the 4000 block of Skippack Pike in Skippack Village, causing significant damage to several stores.

The fire started around 1:30 p.m. Friday at 4007 Skippack Pike in Skippack Village, which houses businesses including Merle Norman Cosmetics, Hodge Podge and Head Over Heels, causing significant damage to the buildings.

Skippack Fire Chief Haydn Marriott, IV, told The Reporter the cause of the fire was a pile of mulch behind the building.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the roof of the structure, and smoke was smelled from as much as a half a mile away from the scene, according to witnesses; all shoppers and employees exited the building safely.

Skippack Pike was closed between Store Road and Old Forty Foot Road while firefighters got the blaze under control, around 2 p.m.

Floral and Hardy, also located at 4007 Skippack Pike, is still functioning; Marriott said the other businesses would have to close indefinitely.

Jean Curtis, the owner of Merle Norman, said her business would relocate temporarily.

“I will be re-opening sometime soon in temporary quarters until my studio is rebuilt, so stay tuned to facebook and open your emails from Merle Norman of Skippack for all the updates,” Curtis said in a post on Facebook. “Very upsetting, but life goes on and I will be seeing you all soon, I trust!”