North Riverside Carson’s to close for holiday season after fire

(NORTH RIVERSIDE) The Carson Pirie Scott store in North Riverside Park Mall will be closed for repairs throughout the holiday season after it was damaged in an early-morning fire Wednesday.

The closing will affect 130 employees, who will be offered the opportunity to temporarily transfer to other area Carson’s stores while the west suburban location is cleaned and repaired, according to a statement from parent company Bon-Ton Stores.

The fire started about 4:15 a.m. at the loading dock at the Carson’s in the mall at 7501 W. Cermak Rd., according to the North Riverside Fire Department. It was under control by 6:50 a.m.

“We are grateful that no one was inside the building when the fire started,” Bon-Ton Executive Vice President Steve Byers said in the statement. “The safety of our associates and customers is our primary concern and we applaud the efforts of local firefighters during this ordeal.”