Fire rips through strip mall near Lee Trevino and Rojas
A chaotic scene unfolded in East El Paso as a fire broke out at Trevino Village. El Paso Fire Department officials said they were able to contain the fire to 20% of the Trevino Village strip mall near Lee Trevino and Rojas in East El Paso.
The fire broke out shortly before 5 p.m. Monday.
ABC-7 viewers reported that the fire engulfed the Good Coffee restaurant.
“Right in the building of good coffee, I could see the flames coming out,” Daniel Walters said.
The owner of Good Coffee told Abc-7 no one was inside the popular Mexican restaurant that had just closed for the day. The fire then spread within moments to the business next door, Smokey’s Pit Stop & Saloon. Customers inside made it out of the business unharmed.
“This doesn’t look right. So I ran outside saw the smoke coming out ran around the corner saw the flames coming and ran back in the bar, told everybody get out next door is on fire man, get out man let’s go,” Walters said.
The restaurant’s owner Bill Armstrong told Abc-7, he didn’t know it would turn out to be so big.
“I thought it would be something small, not a big problem. You have a little fire next door and you try to put it out. It didn’t turn out to be a little fire,” Armstrong said.
Fire officials say the businesses were all connected and shared common walls, attic and roof. As it began making its way down the strip, part of the roof collapsed.The fire then became so dangerous, crews were forced to fight it from outside from different directions.
The extent of the damage to all businesses is still unclear. Armstrong says by the looks of it, they may have to demolish the business and start all over again.
“When do we get started? That’s all you can do,” Armstrong said.
Firefighters had to evacuate all of the businesses and stores at the shopping center.
Lee Trevino was closed in between I-10 and James Watt for hours while crews battled the fire, but it has reopened.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
