A fire gutted a strip mall on Highway 111 in Indio today, destroying at least five businesses, but no one was hurt.
The blaze was reported about 4:40 a.m. at Kristen Plaza in the 81900 block of Highway 111. It started at Frankie’s Fresh Fish, a fish market and sushi restaurant, and spread to the opposite end of the strip mall, Riverside County Fire Department spokesman Scott Visyak said.
Six of the seven spaces that were destroyed were occupied by businesses; a Chinese restaurant was using two spaces, Visyak said. Other businesses
included a check-cashing business and a taco shop.
More than 60 firefighters had the blaze contained around 6:30 a.m. and kept the flames from spreading to two vacant spaces next to Frankie’s.
Damage was estimated at $2 million, fire officials said.
Visyak said the fire department started investigating the cause of the blaze late this morning, once it was safe to do so.
“With a restaurant, it could be several things,” he said. Highway 111 between Monroe Street and Las Palmas Drive was closed for about six hours.
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