Fire damages grocery in East End

Richmond firefighters battled a stubborn blaze this morning at a neighborhood grocery in the East End.

Thirty firefighters were trying to bring the fire under control at 8 a.m., nearly an hour after it was reported at Acme Grocery.

A passerby called Richmond authorities about 7:10 a.m. to say there were flames coming from the store, which is located at Venable and Mosby streets on a block of row houses.

The first firefighters on scene found flames visible from both the front of the building on Venable and the side on Mosby.

Firefighters went inside with hoses but had to withdraw and cut a hole in the roof, Lt. Shawn L. Jones said.

A house to the east of the grocery on Venable was evacuated as a precaution, Jones said.

Firefighters were not aware of any injuries inside the building, which was not open for business at the time of the fire, Jones said.