The only evidence remaining of Bob and Lizanne Pessolano's pallet recycling business is a mound of charred wood and debris after a fire blazed through their family business located on Route 540 near Cohansey-Aldine Road.

Bulldog Pallet's main building burned to the ground Wednesday night after a fire of still undetermined origin leveled the business the Pessolano's run next door to their home.

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Bulldog Pallet, Pessolano explained, took in old wooden pallets and recycled them for other uses. A pallet is a flat transport structure designed to support a variety of goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by any mobile forklift or jacking device.

Stacks of charred pallets still surround the site of the former business.

According to Alloway Township Fire Company Chief Jeff Pompper, it is unknown how the fire started in the family business. He did say that the blaze did not look suspicious. An investigation is still ongoing.

"We don't know anything formal at this time about how the fire was started," he said Thursday. "There was so much destruction out at the site it will be hard to pinpoint, though we do believe that it might have been an electrical fire."

At this time, Pompper said it is unknown as to how much material damage was actually done to the site. Several forklifts were lost in the fire and abandoned after firefighters could not start them because of the severe cold.

Luckily, the fire was quickly contained by the numerous who rushed to the scene. The Pessolanos' home was not damaged by the blaze.

Pompper said numerous fire companies from Salem and Cumberland County were at the scene, and the teamwork between the companies and the men was truly remarkable.

The firefighters spent about five hours at the site, from 4:45 p.m. to 10 p.m., fighting the fire and hosing off the charred remains to ensure they did not set fire again. No injuries were reported.

"Thank goodness nobody was hurt at all last night," Lizanne Pessolano said Thursday. "I want to give a big thank you' to all of the firefighters who helped us last night."

Along with the Alloway Township Fire Co., those responding to the scene included the Salem Fire Department, Quinton Volunteer Fire Co., Reliance Fire Co., Daretown Fire Co., Salem County Fire Police, Lower Alloways Creek Fire and Rescue Co., Mannington Fire Co., Elsinboro Fire Co., Willow Grove Volunteer Fire Co., Centerton Fire Co., and units from Cumberland and Gloucester counties.

Pessolano said Thursday the family was waiting on their insurance company and would likely rebuild the business.

"We'll just try to rebuild and get on with our lives. We'll rebuild and we'll be back," she said