Arson investigators are looking into who cause a fire at the Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange (GRACE) Donation Station in Grapevine
Clothes, shoes, electronics and equipment that were all meant to help people in need will instead be thrown away. The donated items were all destroyed in a fire Thursday night at the donation center in the 100 block of Scribner Street. Investigators say the fire looks suspicious.
"It's very sad that somebody would create a fire on somebody's property like that," said Grapevine Fire Chief Darrell Brown.
Surveillance video taken from Grace shows someone throwing items that are on fire in the back of the building. Investigators say they are working leads in the case. The executive director at Grace estimates there is about $200,000 in damages and about eight weeks' worth of donations destroyed.
"The people that it hurts are the most vulnerable of our community," said GRACE Donation Station Executive Director Shonda Schaefer. "I can't believe anybody would be that malicious."
Grace caters to about 5,000 people who need help each year. Thursday's fire is a major blow to the agency and their operation.
"It's kind of hard to put into words," said Schaefer. "I'm frustrated, I feel overwhelmed. I don't know what the damage is going to be. I don't know how this is going to affect our operations; I don't know financially where this is going to leave our agency."
