
A five-alarm, early-morning fire on Nov. 5 destroyed a Townsend, Del., market and garden center.
The state Fire Marshal’s Office remained mum on the possible cause of the blaze at Willey Farms, but disclosed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division is assisting in the investigation.
The presence of the ATF can mean that investigators have not pinpointed a cause or have reason to suspect causes that are not accidental.
Read the full story on Delaware Business Now.
Read more from Delaware Online about the company's recovery and the community's support.
Willey Farms has been updating customers nearly daily through its Facebook page. The day of the fire, they wrote, "Hi Guys. We’re all safe. The firefighters tried to save her. They worked real hard. But Willey Farms is gone. From the Deli thru to the greenhouse. Produce. Natural Foods. Home Accents. She’s all gone."
They also posted a YouTube video explaining what they are doing to recover.
Screenshot from Willey Farms' Facebook page Nov. 5.
Latest from Garden Center
- Leading Women of Horticulture: Emily Showalter, Willoway Nurseries
- Garden Center 2025 Top 100 IGCs List open for submissions with new judging criteria
- Meet the All-America Selections AAS winners for 2025
- AmericanHort urges exclusion of sphagnum peat moss from proposed Canadian tariff
- VIDEO: Garden Center's 2024 State of the Industry Report
- The Growth Industry Episode 2: Emily Showalter on how Willoway Nurseries transformed its business
- Farwest Show calls for 2025 New Varieties Showcase entries
- Oregon Nurseries Hall of Fame member Jack Bigej passes away