More information has come out about the fire that devastated two downtown McHenry businesses Sunday as the community offers its support to the owners.

Work was being done on the roof at 1309 and 1313 Riverside Drive – home to the Riverside Bake Shop and Reeses Barkery & Pawtique – when the fire broke out just after noon on Sunday, according to McHenry Township Fire Protection District’s lead fire investigator Brent Innes.

He declined to give an official cause of the fire, adding that information would be released later this week.

“Investigators have to rule out all of the other stuff as well” before making that call, Innes said.

Late Tuesday, Reeses announced that it’s setting up a temporary McHenry home at 3314 Pearl St., which operators hope to have up and running in about two weeks. The business was already planning to open a second location in Barrington.

Their Riverside Drive location remains off limits to anyone other than investigators now, said Ross Polerecky, McHenry’s director of community development. His building department has pulled the occupancy permit on the structure, pending its evaluation by professionals.

The good news may be that while “there is a big hole in the roof,” the four walls are in good shape, Polerecky said. He has not been in the building himself since the blaze, but staff did on Sunday night with fire investigators.

Insurance adjustors will likely determine next steps, he added.

“At this point, insurance will come in and do assessments, and we will wait for that paperwork to come through, as far as what needs to be done to fix the building,” Polerecky said.

The McHenry County Recorder’s Office lists Carol and Bernie Rice, who have operated the Bake Shop since 1971, as the owners for 1309, 1311 and 1313 Riverside Drive.

Reeses Barkery is operated by the Giles family: Diedra, Scott, Carolyn and Zachary. According to their website, the family purchased the pet food and supply store from founders Sharon and Ed Ahrens.

Julie Skaggs of Mad Soyentist Candle Company – one of the vendors at Shop 3430, also downtown – said she reached out to Diedra Giles on Sunday night to offer the back room at 3430 Elm Street for anything they may need while their store is rebuilt.

On Jan. 31, Shop 3430 will host the Barkery’s Nail Trims for a Cause event, Skaggs said.

“I have to say, the resilience of this family is astounding. The are continuing to serve their customers and the animal rescues they work with. They just want to move forward,” Skaggs said.

During Clips for a Cause, Angie’s Dog Grooming will clip dog’s nails, with donations going to McHenry-based K9s4u Dog Rescue. The Giles family does the fundraiser on months with five Saturdays, Skaggs said, adding that the back room at Shop 3430 has been set aside on those days for the rest of the year, just in case it is needed.

Skaggs is also working with downtown McHenry business owners on McHenry Mile. Conceived as a downtown business association, the McHenry Mile covers the city’s downtown between the Fox River and Green Street.

“The board from the McHenry Mile is talking about organizing something bigger, more cohesive” to aid the Rice and Giles family’s, Skaggs said.

There is also a GoFundMe account set up to help the Rice family, Help Support The Riverside Bake Shop, created by Larry “Zim” Zimmerman.

“They are like family to me and I felt so helpless, and I had to do something” following Sunday’s fire, Zimmerman said.

While insurance may cover reconstruction, it does not pay out immediately and does not cover day-to-day costs of living, he said. “This is that backstop, until insurance can get squared away.”

The McHenry Township Fire Protection District also thanked the McHenry County Rehab Canteen and McHenry Elementary School District 15 for providing buses to help keep responders warm while fighting the fire, and Fox Hole Tap and Pizzeria for providing pizzas and space for firefighters to recuperate.

McHenry High School Athletics also is getting involved in helping out the businesses.

McHenry has teamed up with Freundly Designs in McHenry to create limited-edition “Riverside Strong” T-shirts and hoodies. They will be available for sale at a girls and boys doubleheader game against Hampshire on Jan. 30, McHenry athletic director Chris Madson said. The games start at 6 and 7:30 p.m.

“These two shops aren’t just businesses, they are part of the fabric of our community,“ Madson said.

The shirts and hoodies also will be available for sale at freundlydesigns.com.