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Home, mercantile destroyed by Idaho fire.Here's what remains of the more than century-old Thornton Mercantile.The restaurant caught fire and was destroyed Wednesday afternoon.Neighbors were evacuated to a neighboring church.Levi and Carolyn Vance and their two little boys evacuated from their Thornton home Wednesday night after flames destroyed the neighboring Thornton Mercantile.While their home smelled a bit smokey, the couple didn’t suffer any property damage.Here's what remains of the more than century-old Thornton Mercantile.The restaurant caught fire and was destroyed Wednesday afternoon.Neighbors were evacuated to a neighboring church.Lisa Smith/Standard Journal Flames destroyed the old Thornton Mercantile on Wednesday evening.There were no reports of injuries.Madison County Sheriff's photo Levi and Carolyn Vance and their two little boys evacuated from their Thornton home Wednesday night after flames destroyed the neighboring Thornton Mercantile.While their home smelled a bit smokey, the couple didn’t suffer any property damage.THORNTON — Levi and Carolyn Vance were about to sit down for dinner, when Carolyn looked out a window and saw what she thought was dust swirling around and flying heavenward not far from her Thornton home.Previously, the neighborhood had experienced strong winds, but after taking a second look out her window, Carolyn Vance realized it wasn’t dust that she was seeing but instead it was smoke.“It was a fire,” she said.Shortly afterward, the couple’s landlord came by and had the young couple and their two little boys quickly leave.“The fire looked like it was growing pretty quick,” Levi Vance said.The couple then gathered up their two little boys and headed to a friend’s home in Teton where they wound up spending the night.When they returned home Thursday morning, their home was still standing albeit smelling a bit smokey.Just two homes down, the old Thornton Mercantile had caught fire after flames from a neighboring field spread destroying a home, at least two sheds and then the mercantile all by around 6:15 p.m.Wednesday.Thornton is an unincorporated community in east Idaho, about seven miles south of Rexburg.“Upon arrival, fire crews found a structure fully involved with multiple fire locations including vegetation on fire,” reported the Madison Fire Department.“Three living structures (homes) and two outbuildings have been a complete loss.” Madison Deputy Fire Chief Troyce Miskin reported the fire may have started from someone cooking outside.“At this time, the fire is believed to have originated from an outdoor cooking fire that spread out of control,” he said.Thanks to mutual aid agreements, North and South Fremont, Idaho Falls, and Bonneville fire departments arrived to help put out the flames.The North and South Fremont Fire Fighters relied on a fire hydrant outside the SpringHill Suites to refill their water tenders to help keep pumping water onto the flames.Power was shut off at the surrounding homes, and the Wind Willow RV Park near the mercantile was placed under an evacuation order.Officials from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center at 2041 W.offered a place for residents impacted by the flames to stay.CERT members, LEO Chaplains and the Red Cross were available at the church to assist those impacted by the fire.“CERT members, LEO Chaplains and the Red Cross are available to assist those affected,” the Madison County Sheriff’s Office wrote on its Facebook page Wednesday evening.They offered food and water to evacuees.By 7:30 a.m.Thursday, officials allowed residents to return home.While the Vances were a bit shaken up, their two sons got a kick out of all the fire trucks and police cars surrounding their neighborhood.“They thought it was cool,” Levi Vance said.“You try not to transfer your fear to your kids.” The Vances watched a live feed of the fire at their friend’s home.When they returned home Thursday morning, their utilities still weren’t working, but they didn’t complain.“Pretty much everything will be salvageable,” Levi Vance said.“They were able to stop the fire at the mercantile.” The couple reported that prior to the fire, the Thornton Mercantile had served as a restaurant that locals regularly visited.“You could go in there and get lunch every weekday,” he said.There were no reports of any injuries.Firefighters remained at the scene overnight and were still there watching the site that continued to shoot out billows of smoke Thursday morning.Miskin reported the power remained out in Thornton as of Thursday morning.“Crews from Rocky Mountain Power and Intermountain Gas remain on scene working to safely restore utility services to the affected area,” he said.“Fire crews also continue to work throughout the incident area extinguishing hot spots, monitoring for fire extension, and ensuring the area remains safe for the public.Miskin reported that Highway 191 remained closed between 5000 South and 3300 West.“The public is asked to continue avoiding the area and use alternate routes while emergency personnel and utility crews complete their operations,” he said.Miskin did not yet have any property damage estimates available.As more information is gathered, the Standard Journal will update this story.