Businesses in a Dallas strip mall are reeling from a fire Thursday morning.
The fire started inside Mac’s Food Mart at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Shady Trail at about 8:30 a.m.
The fire inspector told NBC 5 that an electrical short sparked the fire. A space heater, fax machine, and several extension cords had been plugged in under a desk in the office of the business.
“Not good,” is all the owner good utter through his tears when asked how he was doing. He was just too upset to talk about the fire that ravaged his business.
In less than an hour, the flames destroyed what it took him nearly two decades to build.
“He’s in shock, just shock for him. He’s going to be OK,” said friend and nearby business owner Hoss Koehel.
Koehel owns Milano’s Pizza two doors down in the strip mall. Koehel had been arriving at work to open his store and saw flames shooting from the food mart.
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“I saw the fire department. I saw everything. It just shocked me,” Koehel said.
The fire damaged part of the vacant hair salon, Pink, next door. Crews tore out part of Milano’s ceiling to make sure the flames were out. Smoke damage is forcing the pizza place to temporarily shut down, until they can air out the restaurant. Still, Koehel said it could have been worse.
"Nobody was hurt or nothing. Just material things, fixable,” said Koehel.
Milano’s hopes to reopen in a couple of days.
The owner of Mac’s told NBC 5 that he will pick up the pieces and rebuild the food mart.
