Employees at a nail salon that was gutted in a fire Friday said their boss tried to put out the blaze with an extinguisher before it swept through the business.
The fire at Vicky's Nails, 2006 Encinal Ave., started shortly before 4 p.m. and sent smoking billowing into the middle of the street and could be smelled from blocks away.
"My boss said, 'Oh my God -- a fire. Call 911, call 911,'" manicurist Donna Truong said as she stood with other employees in a nearby driveway watching crews fight the fire.
Truong said she was barefoot because she left her shoes behind when she ran outside. Fellow manicurist Kim Luu said she left her purse behind.
Nine people, including three customers, were inside the salon when the fire began. No one was hurt.
What caused the fire remains under investigation, Alameda fire Chief James Christiansen said.
"The man who runs the business said he thinks the water heater exploded, but we still have not confirmed that," Christiansen said.
Combustibles stored near the heater likely helped spread the fire, he said.
Nancy Le, a manicurist who has worked at the salon for 31/2 years, said she had just finished helping a customer and was standing near the front door when she heard a "boom" near the restroom.
Le said she next saw flames near where cotton and other supplies were stored.
Her boss -- still holding the extinguisher -- declined to comment as he stood outside watching fire crews. He said he was too nervous to speak. He paced the sidewalk, never once losing his grip on the extinguisher.
Along with gutting the salon, the fire spread to Bautista Direct Marketing, charring most of the office equipment and paperwork. The Coaches Box, a sports apparel business in the same building, was also damaged.
Firefighters contained the fire in less than an hour.
The fire caused about $200,000 damage to the building and $250,000 to the contents, Christiansen said.
Distributed by the Associated Press
