Jason Wadler, partner in Wadler Brothers Home Center, just called to say that his store in Fleischmanns is open for business.
"We are not doing deliveries this week unless it's a flood emergency, but we are open in the store. We've got plenty of cleaning supplies and shovels."
Wadler Brothers endured more damage in this week's flooding that it did in the 1996 flood, Wadler said. Much of the store's lumber floated downstream.
"Ninety-six doesn't hold a candle to it," he said. "This is the real deal. This is serious."
Wadler also reported that he witnessed an incident of looting yesterday at the west end of Fleischmanns. He said that a man in a maroon pickup truck tried to make off with some of the Wadler Brothers lumber that floated downstream, which had been stacked along the stream near Rte. 28.
"We didn't get it all picked up down by the stream, and he went and picked it up," Wadler said. "He was noticed by a bystander, who chased him down the road. He got very belligerent. Then another one of our customers told us that we had a guy stealing stuff, so we went down and confronted him."
The alleged looter ended up relinquishing the lumber and driving away, Wadler said. The State Police have been notified.
Photo by Julia Reischel.
