Fire destroyed a popular restaurant and two other businesses in an Orange Park strip mall overnight and damaged at least one other store.
Clay County Fire-Rescue received a call at 11:11 p.m. of a fire at 1871 Wells Road, across from Orange Park Mall. The first firefighters on the scene reported flames shooting from the building and called for back-up. Several more Clay County fire companies and two from Jacksonville Fire-Rescue helped battle the fire.
At the height of the fire, flames could be seen from Blanding Boulevard.
The fire was considered under control just over one hour later, but not before it destroyed Venezia's Italian Restaurant, Miracle Ear and Play Station Child Care, and damaged Ladies Fitness.
No one was in the building at the time -- the last employee left the restaurant at 10 p.m. Officials estimate the fire caused $1 million in damages.
Investigators believe the fire started in the restaurant's kitchen because that's where the flames burned through the roof first. The state Fire Marsall's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are working together to determine the exact cause of the fire, but said that will process will take at least two days.
Troy Mahan, who owns the hearing-aid store, said he would put a mobile home in the parking lot Friday to resume serving patients, although recovery will be slow since most of the records were lost in the fire.
"In the scheme of things, this is small. No one was hurt," Mahan said.
The employees of the businesses destroyed by the fire, are now forced to rethink their futures.
"I'm very sad. I've worked here for six years and it's been great," said day care worker Burnita Clemon. "The owners of the Play Station are great people and it's been a wonderful place to work."
The owners of the Play Station said their location in Mandarin would be able to care for some of the 60 children they usually see.
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