FIRE: PATRICK'S CLEANERS WORK TO ANSWER FIRE QUESTIONS

Given a few more days, Patrick's Cleaners should have answers for those wondering whether their clothes were burned up in a fire over the weekend, owner David Kimes said.

Receipts that were saved are being pieced together so clothes can be identified for customers and insurance claims, Kimes said.

"The problem is there were a number of order slips lying on the counter, and they were just swept into the fire," he said.

Kimes expects a representative from ITT Hartford Insurance in St. Louis to come today to evaluate damages to his store at 1215 Broadway.

A fire inside the cleaners was reported at 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Burglars had broken a window to climb into Kimes' office, and then began smashing property inside the store.

Before they left, clothes were piled up and set afire.

Due to the amount of damage, Cape Girardeau police think more than two people were involved in the break-in, Lt. Carl Kinnison said.

A videocassette recorder linked to a surveillance camera inside the store was being reviewed by police.

The damage has stopped all dry cleaning service at Patrick's Cleaners, which also operates a laundry service in Jackson, Mo.

Kimes was continuing to wash smoke-damaged clothes at his Jackson store on Monday. He said he isn't certain whether this would restore them to customers' satisfaction, but it is worth trying.

As construction workers pulled out ceiling tiles and torn up laminated flooring on Monday, a steady flow of customers either stopped to talk to Kimes or called him by phone. He patiently explained the circumstances to everyone who asked.

"It's been like this all day," Kimes said.