Newsday.com has issued the following report from Bill Mason:

Looney Tunes, the long-standing independent record store in West Babylon, has been destroyed in a fire an official says may have been electrical in origin.

The 4,000-square-foot store on Brookvale Avenue was "decimated" Wednesday, according to a statement by Jamie Groeger and Karl Groeger Jr., the brothers who run the business, which is owned by their father, Karl.

West Babylon Assistant Chief Vincenzo Vacchiano said no one was in the store at the time of the fire and no one was injured, he said.

The loss of merchandise, including 57 autographed guitars and many gold and platinum records, could total hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Groegers estimated.

"Some of the decor, unfortunately, which melted were some of the old plastic records," Vacchiano said.

While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it does not appear suspicious, he said.

Karl Groeger Jr. declined to comment but said in the release, "Keep us in your prayers, but have faith that we will be back stronger than ever."

Opened in 1971, Looney Tunes has been a cornerstone of Long Island's music scene, supporting local bands not only by selling their CDs but by inviting them to hold intimate performances squeezed in among the CD racks. The store also maintained a strong national reputation as it survived despite the recent downturn in CD sales.

Artists who appeared there include OZZY OSBOURNE, ICE-T and the band STAIND, whose 2001 rooftop show attracted 7,500 fans.

"Looney Tunes is one of music's premier stores," said Don Van Cleave, president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, of which Looney Tunes is a member. "Their focus on serving the music fans of Long Island is legendary. We will miss their energy while they rebuild and look forward to the store being even better when it reopens."

Looney Tunes is accepting donations, including memorabilia, to help rebuild. Send contributions care of Don Van Cleave, Coalition of Independent Music Stores, 3738 4th Terrace North, Birmingham, Ala., 35222.