PORT ANGELES — Time is ticking away for the St. Vincent de Paul Society to clear out its fire-damaged thrift store for repairs needed before it can reopen.
But one more incident has stung workers’ efforts.
On Wednesday morning, frustrated volunteer Barbara Townsend arrived at the Eighth Street store to discover that someone had climbed over a 6-foot-tall chain link fence behind the building, broken into a delivery truck, ripped open bags of donated clothing and strewn their contents all over.
“After three weeks of cleanup, and you think someone has to climb over the fence when they could call a number and we could give them anything they want,” said Townsend, St. Vincent de Paul board treasurer, as she stood amid tables full of donations inside the store late Wednesday.
Arson victim
The shop, which generates the only revenue for the society that in turn puts the money back into the community, was hit by a suspected arsonist early on Oct. 14.
The blaze destroyed a fenced-in storage area, plus the furniture and other items stored there, and radiant heat damaged an adjacent annex area containing office supplies and other donations waiting to be priced.
The strong smell of smoke still lingered in the air Wednesday.