News Nearby: Sarris Candies Owner Optimistic Despite Fire Damage at Canonsburg Store

Fire damaged the  store in Canonsburg this morning, but the owner is optimistic that the damage will be repaired soon.

“There is some cleaning to do,” owner Bill Sarris said. “We’ll hopefully be back in business as soon as possible.”

Trucks are out, he said, and deliveries are being made. He said he expects to be back in business in “days instead of weeks.”

The candies are sold in a number of stores in Pine and Richland townships. (See list below.) Also, the candies are sold by local nonprofits in their fundraising efforts.

One concern is for the upcoming Easter season.

“The Easter Bunny is safe,” Sarris added.

About a dozen employees escaped unharmed from the fire early Friday morning.

Kevin Wittik, who works in the shipping department, said he arrived at the Canonsburg store around 6:30 a.m., when smoke first started to appear.

“I got in and got everyone out,” he said. “Smoke was just starting to be visible, but then it got pretty intense.”

Wittik and fellow employees gathered in the parking lot as fire crews worked to contain the fire, which appeared to start in the ice-cream-parlor side of the building — primarily in the roof and attic.

Stores in the Pine-Richland area that carry Sarris Candies include:

In Pine: and  in the Village at Pine; on Bakerstown Road; , and on Perry Highway. 

In Richland:  in Richland Mall, in Northtowne Square, and  on Ewalt Road.

Pine-Richland Patch Editor Cindy Cusic Micco also contributed to this article.

Does your nonprofit sell Sarris Candies as a fundraiser? Please sign in with your real name and tell us about your group and your Sarris Candies fundraisers. Thank you!