Blaze can’t burn spirit

Alicia Robinson

Six businesses on East 17th Street will be closed for several weeks

after a two-alarm fire early Friday morning left them with smoke and

water damage.

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of a blaze that

began in Regal Beauty Supply a few minutes past midnight. Employees

working late two doors down in French’s Cupcake Bakery noticed smoke

and called 911, Costa Mesa Fire Department Battalion Chief Scott

Broussard said.

He said it was a tricky fire because smoke was coming out of many

building openings, and it took a few minutes to determine the fire’s

origin.

The blaze started at the floor level and climbed a wall in the

beauty supply store, sending smoke into ceilings of adjacent

businesses and a common attic, Broussard said. Regal Beauty Supply,

French’s bakery Ritz Nails, $3 Tan, Caliente Southwest Express

restaurant and Mesa Dental Center are all temporarily closed.

Firefighters from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach were able to put

out the blaze in 20 minutes.

By late Friday morning, employees of the nail salon had carted out

their supplies and stood huddled on the sidewalk, while inspectors

from the city building department and county health department were

trying to keep everyone out of the smoke-ridden shops.

Caliente owner Rick Flanagan was getting ready to cancel his

holiday catering jobs because he’s not sure when he’ll reopen. He

said he might look for another location in the area.

“It could be anywhere from six weeks to six months,” he said,

adding a plea to customers: “Please don’t forget us.”

Customers hoping to buy bread or get their nails done seemed

oblivious to the police tape blocking off the businesses, Some tried

to walk in, but Costa Mesa building inspector Pete Tenace warned them

away.

Initial estimates from the Costa Mesa Fire Department put the

damage from the fire at more than $500,000 in lost property and $1

million in building damage. Tenace said it’s hard to say how long the

businesses will have to remain closed.

“They’re going to have to gut these units until they can put a new

roof on,” he said. “I don’t know what kind of condition it’s in

[inside], if it’s contaminated [or] burnt. It’s a mess.”

Behind French’s was a confectionary disaster. Buckets of jam,

icing, chocolate and dough sat melting in the sun as employees picked

through the mess in the shop and tried to sweep out the water.

Bakery owner Jerry French said he’s sending his customers to other

bakeries he trusts to make sure they get their wedding cakes and

holiday treats on time.

He doesn’t think he’ll be open before Christmas, but he’s been in

the 17th Street location for 28 years, and he plans to stay. In spite

of the mess in his store and the disruption of his business, he

wasn’t complaining.

“We’ll open up, better than ever,” he said, smiling.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.