Devastated store owners watched their businesses as they burned. Hetty Chang reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.
A fire that burned for hours Wednesday morning destroyed businesses at an Anaheim strip mall.
The fire was reported just before 5:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of South State College Boulevard. Firefighters on at least four ladder trucks continued to spray water on the structures more than three hours later.
Businesses at the strip mall include the Sahara Theatre adult entertainment club, Subway, Taqueria El Poblano, Tummy Stuffer restaurant, a liquor store and a kitchen and bath supply business.
The businesses were closed when the fire started. No injuries were reported.
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Damian Hurtado's family owns Taqueria El Poblano.
"I've gotten to know a lot these employees," Hurtado said. "A lot of them, they're jobless now… It was really hard, seeing all we sacrificed, everything being gone. We sacrificed so much for it, and it being gone in an hour? It's just bad. It hurts
"The fire had stopped, then out of nowhere something big broke down. Everything came up again."
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A DJ at the Sahara Theatre said he was heartbroken.
"This is a family, not just where I worked at, but everyone around," said the DJ identified as Dave.
Witness Keith Morris said flames quickly spread throughout the sprawling building.
"When it exploded, it spread quick," Morris said. "This is our living for us. This sucks. This really sucks."
Details about a cause were not immediately available. Nearby roads were closed.
