Woman charged with burning down Garrard County food pantry
A suspect has been arrested in connection to the devastating fire at a Garrard County food pantry on Sunday, the Lancaster Police Department announced.
Debra Smalling, 60, has been charged with second-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief, according to jail records. She is being held at the Jessamine County Detention Center.
Video surveillance showed Smalling walk to the side of the building and rummage through some cardboard and paper stacked against the side, according to court documents. Smalling admitted to throwing a lit cigarette butt into that pile. The pile ignited and the fire spread.
The food pantry suffered a “total loss” from the blaze. There weren’t any injuries.
“Our community is suffering,” Lancaster City Fire and Rescue said in a Facebook post. “We lost a very important place that so many depend on.”
The food bank still planned to distribute food Monday, according to its Facebook page. A food box distribution event for seniors was planned in the parking lot at Lancaster Baptist Church.
“No matter what we will keep marching forward,” representatives from the food pantry said in a Facebook post.
To help, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels said it awarded a $10,000 emergency grant to the food pantry. The money will “cover Thanksgiving meals and additional nonperishable food items that were lost in the fire,” the organization said.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 7:10 AM.
