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JANUARY 23, 2015
TRI-CITIES
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Fire destroys pair of restaurants
JAPANESE, GREEK EATERIES IN COQUITLAM’S EAGLE RIDGE SQUARE GUTTED BY BLAZE
Jeremy DEUTSCH
handle on the blaze, but not before it destroyed the two restaurants and damaged two A spectacular blaze early more businesses in the mall. A jewelry store and hair Thursday morning gutted two restaurants and closed and nail salon suffered smoke down a busy strip mall in and water damage as a result of the fire and by daylight, Coquitlam. Crews were called to the the destruction to the strip Sushi Mori restaurant in mall was evident. “It’s a pretty big fire for us,” Eagle Ridge Square around Pierlot said, 1:30 a.m. after noting that Coquitlam no one was Mounties injured in the noticed smoke blaze. coming from It was just “It certainly the business. starting to turn had the potenFirefighters a profit, then tial to spread found the blaze in a false to all of the this happens. ceiling in the businesses – Pallas Athena restaurant, there.” Greek Restaurant in the 2500 A n g e l o owner Angelo block of Barnet Mazzarolo Mazzarolo Highway, but owns the conditions Pallas Athena started to restaurant deteriorate, so crews had to and said he got a call around fight the fire from the out- two o’clock in the morning side. from his security company. Fire chief Wade Pierlot By the time he arrived 20 explained the strip mall minutes later, he said flames didn’t have any fire walls so were shooting from the buildcrews had to build a trench to ing. stop the flames. “I’m surprised how fast it However, the fire spread went up,” Mazzarolo told the to the neighbouring Pallas Tri-Cities NOW. Athena Greek restaurant. He said Wednesday was a At one point, flames were normal day, noting his son shooting from the roof as closed up the restaurant high as the neighbouring around 10 p.m. trees, while 30 firefighters Mazzarolo, a general conwere called out to battle the tractor, bought and made blaze. major renovations to the Eventually, crews got a business four years ago. jdeutsch@thenownews.com
JEREMY DEUTSCH/NOW
Coquitlam fire chief Wade Pierlot said the Eagle Ridge Square strip mall on Barnet Highway at Falcon Drive lacked fire walls between units, so crews tried to build a trench to stop the flames. They still spread. “It was just starting to turn a profit, then this happens,” he said, noting his own business is insured for about half a million dollars. The restaurant employed 14 people.
Mazzarolo said he’s not sure what the future holds for his business or employees, but said it’s doubtful he would rebuild in the same strip mall. As for the cause, fire chief
Pierlot said Thursday it was too early to tell, but there was nothing to suggest it was suspicious. He pointed out the fire was found in the sushi restaurant, but could have started else-
where. Investigators were expected to be on scene all day Thursday, while fire officials were hoping the remaining businesses would be up and running within a day. twitter.com/jertricitiesnow
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