T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Soot marks the area of an exterior fire at the Aetna Street Kroger in Martins Ferry on Wednesday. Firefighters quickly doused the smokey blaze. No one was injured and the store, which had been evacuated, soon reopened.

Martins Ferry — The Kroger store in Martins Ferry was in the process of reopening around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday after a fire behind the building was extinguished.

Initial reports of the blaze came in shortly after noon. Residents of the Aetnaville neighborhood, patrons of nearby businesses and motorists on Interstate 70 and Ohio 7 could see a plume of heavy, black smoke rising from behind the store.

The Martins Ferry Volunteer Fire Department responded and quickly doused the flames. Although soot littered the area, it appeared that no serious damage or injuries resulted.

Fire Capt. Taylor Fogle noted there is a surveillance camera above the area where the fire broke out and said the department would conduct an investigation. Kroger officials confirmed shortly before 2 p.m. that the store was open for business.