A fire tore through a strip mall in Rowland Heights on Sunday morning, destroying five businesses, including a veterinary clinic with animals inside.
The fire broke out at the Colima Center on the corner of Colima Road and Paso Real Ave. at 3:00 a.m. It consumed several storefronts before a force of 120 firefighters was able to knock it down.
Among the businesses burned to the ground was Colima Animal Hospital. Seven pets, including dogs and cats, were killed in the fire, according to the veterinarian. Some of the pets' owners arrived to the scene Sunday morning and were heartbroken by the news.
Steve Kang, owner of Masters Realty, told NBC4 his company lost valuable items including computers, keys to properties and important client information.
Other businesses destroyed include a medical insurance company and a sushi restaurant. The businesses in the center that did not burn down have been deemed too dangerous to enter due to smoke and water damage as well as potential gas or electrical hazards.
Residents of a nearby mobile home community were evacuated overnight, but the fire was contained before it spread to their homes.
