A four-alarm blaze burned through a restaurant for about two hours near a Cal State Fullerton in Orange County on Sunday morning, fire officials said.
More than 80 firefighters battled the blaze, reported at 5:55 a.m. at the single-story business in the 2700 block of East Nutwood Avenue, according to Fullerton Fire Department officials.
No injuries were reported, officials said. Street closures were slated to persist through the afternoon.
The restaurant is Dillon's Bar & Grill, formerly a popular bar called Cantina Lounge, which sits across the street from the college campus and next to the 57 Freeway, fire officials said.
"Thank God nobody was in there," said Dillon’s owner, Abbey Shilleh.
After hearing about the fire, employee Sam Cole rushed back to the restaurant after closing the bar hours earlier.
"I just couldn’t believe it," Cole said.
It was in imminent danger of collapse, and firefighters were in defensive mode before they finally brought the fire under control at 9 a.m.
Firefighters thought the flames were doused at 6:11 a.m., but when more flames were spotted they called a fourth alarm and continued to battle the fire, officials said.
Although the building is considered a total loss, the owner said it would be rebuilt.
Oleevia Woo contributed to this report.
