3-Alarm Blaze Rips Through Long Beach Restaurant Weeks Before Reopening
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) – A devastating three-alarm fire gutted a popular Long Beach restaurant early Tuesday morning, just weeks before it was scheduled to reopen after being forced to close last year due to flooding.
The fire broke out before 5:15 a.m. at Dogz Bar and Grill, which is part of a strip mall located in the 5300 block of East 2nd Street.
According to the Long Beach Fire Department, crews arrived on scene to find heavy flames coming from the building, which was boarded up. The fire was quickly upgraded to three-alarms.
The bulk of the fire was knocked down by 6:46 a.m., but not before causing heavy damage to the restaurant, LBFD said.
Firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to any surrounding businesses. There were no injuries.
"His (the owner) main concern right now is his 45 employees that he has, and it's very difficult," said Dede Rossi with the Belmont Shore Business Association.
In January of 2017, a delivery truck sheared a fire hydrant and sent water flooding into Dogz Bar and Grill. The restaurant, which specializes in gourmet hot dogs and is dog-friendly, was destroyed.
The family which owns Dogz has spent the past 18 months rebuilding it. Off camera, the owners told CBS2 that, prior to the fire, Dogz was set to reopen in about two weeks.
There is no word on a cause. Crews remained on scene for several hours doing overhaul and salvage operations.
