CENTERVILLE, Wis. – Motorists began pulling into Toad’s Cove fuel again — five weeks after fire demolished the convenience store but somehow left the pumps unscathed. Toad’s is the lone place t refuel on a 30-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 35, although there are stations six miles out of the way in Trempealeau and eight miles out of the way in Galesvile. Andy Todd, the owner, said that the night of the fire the lone employee on duty flipped an emergency cut-off switch to the pumps. This was a little before the 10 o’clock closing time. The employee and customers evacuated the store. No one was injured. During the post-fire period, motorists have had to drive a ways for fuel. The nearest pumps:
>Trempealeau, six miles away.
> Galesville, eight miles.
> Winona, 12 miles.
> Holmen, 15 miles.
> Fountain City, 16 miles.