On Thursday, Oct. 2, at approximately 6 a.m., units of the San Jose Fire Department responded to a fast moving structure fire in a multi-unit strip mall at 5156 Moorpark Avenue on the city's west side.
The fire sent flames up to 40 feet above the roofline of the structure and destroyed three business occupancies including two restaurants before firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze.
Striking a second and third-alarm, Battalion Chief Robert Sapien called for firefighters to assume a defensive attack using exterior hand lines. Other crews were sent to the roof to complete a trench cut in a successful effort to quell the advance of the fire.
Firefighters were able to contain the flames before they spread to a dry cleaner, bridal shop and jeweler, but those tenants did suffer smoke damage.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
