Granite City firefighters put out a blaze Friday at the National Rent to Own store in the Nameoki Plaza shopping center. The fire consumed about $50,000 worth of merchandise, the store's owner said. (Courtesy Post Dispatch)

The Granite City National Rent to Own, owned by Dan Cole, past president of Missouri Rental Dealers Association, was destroyed by fire on Friday.

The store is located in Nameoki Plaza shopping center in Granite City, MO.

There were no injuries but the store was a total loss and 2 adjoining (vacant) buildings were damaged.

According to reports, the fire started in one of several new sofas (still bagged) that were moved by employees onto the sidewalk in front of the store. City fire officials suspect a cigarette tossed into the sofas by a passerby may have started the blaze.

According to reports, employees had moved the new sofas outside the storefront so they could rearrange other furniture inside the store. About 20 minutes later someone came into the store and said the sofas were on fire.

Employees used fire extinguishers but were unable to contain the blaze. Flames broke through the front windows and spread quickly throughout the store.

It took Granite City Firefighters over an hour to get the fire under control.

Preliminary reports put the loss of inventory at $50,000. Granite City was one of 28 National Rent to Own locations. It is unclear whether the location will reopen.