Fire damages Geneva hardware store

Fire damaged the roof of a Geneva Ace Hardware store Tuesday evening, but the business is expected to open Wednesday, officials said.

Geneva fire officials were called to 617 W. State at 7:57 p.m. Tuesday, after a passer-by in the parking lot entered Ace Hardware to tell the people inside that there was smoke coming from the building, Geneva Fire Department Chief Steve Olson said. "They went outside and looked up and said 'Yeah, you're right,'" Olson said.

Everyone inside the building evacuated before fire officials arrived, and no one was injured. Firefighters from seven local departments were able to contain the fire to the roof, but stayed on the scene for cleanup until about 10:30 p.m. Fire officials and the Geneva building department will meet with store management Wednesday morning to walk through the store to make sure everything is secure for the store's reopening, Olson said.

A damage estimate was not available late Tuesday. The fire is under investigation but does not seem suspicious, Olson said.