CLAY, Ala. — A fire destroyed two donation trailers outside the Lovelady Thrift Store in Clay early Wednesday, damaging inventory but leaving the store itself and the center’s other thrift location open, according to the organization and local news reports. The Lovelady Center said the trailers were filled with donated inventory and were intentionally set on fire.
No injuries were reported, and the fire did not damage the building itself, according to posts from the center and local reporting. WVTM 13 reported that investigators believed the fire was intentionally set, while the Trussville Tribune said the trailers were damaged in the early morning blaze.
The fire comes as Lovelady’s thrift operation has become a major support line for the nonprofit’s work. The center says its first thrift store opened in Irondale in 2009, a second location opened in Clay in 2015, and the stores generate more than half of the organization’s operating budget.
The Lovelady Center describes the thrift stores as part of its job-readiness program, giving clients work experience while also funding services for women and children in the organization’s care.