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The Laundry Basket laundromat on Florissant Road was always busy. A clean facility, with newer, high quality equipment, it was a favorite of locals who lacked their own machines. It was destroyed by a massive fire late last month. Now, we’ve learned that Ferguson officials believe that the fire was caused by arson.
The Observer was able to get several photographs showing the complete destruction of the interior of the building. A source close to the investigation tells us that multiple subjects entered the building for the purpose of burglary. The fire may have been an attempt to conceal the burglary. We are not aware of any connection between the suspects and the laundromat.
According to public records, charges have been referred to the county prosecutor for three individuals. We have inquired of the prosecutor regarding the status of this case.
The laundromat is owned by Dexter Services. Dexter is a subsidiary of Century Laundry, a manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment in suburban Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dexter did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the future of their property in Ferguson.