Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Friday, April 19
"The World's Largest Laundromat and Cleaners" in Berwyn went up in flames yesterday. The laundromat was well-known for its environmentally friendly practices, including the solar power system on the roof, which supplied about 60 percent of the power for its huge water boilers. About 30 people had to leave their clothes behind as the fast-moving blaze consumed the building.