McHenry, IL– A long-standing McHenry bakery has filed a lawsuit against a roofing company following a devastating fire that destroyed multiple businesses earlier this year.
According to reports from the Northwest Herald, Riverside Bake Shop, located at 1309 Riverside Drive in McHenry, Illinois, is suing APR Roofing, alleging the company’s negligence caused the January 18 fire that gutted the building.
The blaze, which investigators determined to be accidental, caused more than $1 million in damage to the bakery, a business that had served the community for more than 50 years. Despite the official cause being listed as accidental, the lawsuit claims roofers working on the building overheated wooden roof decking during the project, ultimately igniting the fire.
Court documents confirm the bakery is seeking a jury trial and damages exceeding $50,000.
The fire didn’t just impact the bakery. Reeses Barkery and Pawtique, a pet food and supply store operating in the same building, was also destroyed in the blaze. The business has since reopened at a new location on Pearl Street, crediting its recovery to strong community support.
Additional businesses affected by the fire included George Thompson Insurance Agency and McHenry Dental Associates, according to the McHenry Chamber of Commerce.
The case now moves forward as the bakery seeks to hold the roofing company accountable for the losses tied to the fire, setting the stage for a legal battle that could determine responsibility for one of the area’s most damaging recent incidents.
