It's been a ritual for bread lovers, dating back to 1918.
Early Sunday morning at L. Sarcone & Son Bakery in South Philadelphia, a line forms with 40-50 customers waiting for hot crusty Italian bread.
As the line edges down 9th Street and around the corner on Catharine, customers step out of the bakery with brown bags filled with bread - sesame seeded twists, plain flats and rolls. They give reports to those waiting how much is left, and what's coming out next.
Yesterday, however, there were no lines. There was no bread.
The front of the bake shop was charred, its inside smoke damaged and the shattered windows boarded with plywood.
An incendiary device was thrown in the front window about 1 a.m Saturday while three or four employees were inside. They heard the window shatter and immediately called 911.
Lt. Thomas Lawson of the fire marshal's office could not confirm that it was a "Molotov cocktail," but added, "Somebody started it.
"There was nothing suspicious about it; it was arson," said Lawson.
Fire climbed up the facing of the building and was declared under control in 11 minutes.
An elderly woman, who lives in the apartment above the bakery, was treated for smoke inhalation. She and two other tenants were temporarily relocated.
Lawson said fire damage was primarily on the outside and smoke damage was inside on the upper floors.
"Now, investigators must find out who did it," Lawson said.
Next door, Ralph's Restaurant also sustained damage, but workers were steam cleaning and painting the outside of the restaurant during the weekend.
Today, owner Louis E. Sarcone, 65, and his son, Louis E. Sarcone, Jr., 37, who runs the daily operations, expect to assess the damage with their attorney, fire investigators and insurance appraisers.
"The store was completely damaged and so was the whole shipping area where we put the bread out," Sarcone Sr. said last night.
Hundreds of restaurants and customers which either pick up or get delivered bread and rolls were forced to turn to other bakeries in the meantime.
Sarcone said he and his son expect to continue to pay their employees while the bakery is rebuilt.
The bakery, a mainstay to generations of Italian immigrants, was passed down through four generations of the Sarcone family.
"This is a real tragedy," Sarcone said.
Send e-mail to caparek@phillynews.com
