The sight of flames and smoke sent firefighters to 7509 Girard Ave. early last Friday morning, where the Seaside Home store was ablaze.
Roofers working the previous day at the upscale bed and bath store allegedly left a smoldering torch, which resulted in the unintentional blaze, said Maurice Luque, San Diego Fire Rescue Department (SDFRD) spokesman.
“This was apparently caused by some materials that were left and ignited while crews were doing some roofing work,” Luque said, adding that the fire was unintentional and the crews were unaware. “There’s an indication that some materials were left overnight and smoldered.”
At about 3:30 a.m., SDFRD dispatchers received a call saying flames and smoke were billowing from the Girard Avenue shop, Luque said.
About 35 firefighters rushed inside four engines and two trucks to the two-story complex, where they found that the fire appeared to start on the roof, which was in the process of being repaired, Luque said.
“By 4:12, they knocked it down. It took them about 40 minutes to knock the fire down,” he said.
According to Luque, the roof portion sustained $100,000 in damage, and officials estimate about $100,000 in damage to the contents.
Officers from the San Diego Police Department called store manager Joseph J. Gulli at about 5 a.m., informing him that Seaside Home store had been on fire, Gulli said.
“I didn’t get a call until about 5 in the morning,” he said, adding that he was grateful for the extra time to sleep.
Gulli rushed around Friday morning ” while the fire alarm continued to ring from the night before ” hoping he could open the upscale furnishings store the next day.
Gulli, who oversaw workers cleaning, restoration workers and a property manager, said he was grateful the damage wasn’t worse. Most of the smoke damage was contained to the upstairs storage area, where the company stored down mattresses, Gulli said.