WHITTIER, Calif. () — Pizzamania and El Camino Family Restaurant have been staples in the Whittier community for more than three decades. Now, they are trying to salvage what is left from an intentional fire, leaving locals heartbroken.
Last week, a scorching, early-morning blaze destroyed five businesses at a strip mall near E. Florence Road and Telegraph Avenue.
The beloved pizza joint, known to some as the “Crowned Jewel of South Whittier,” has been around since 1973.
“When I responded to what was the alarm company sending a message that there was an issue here, I thought it was somebody breaking in,” said Bill Pilkington, Pizzamania’s general manager. “So I drove down here to find the entire building engulfed.”
Investigators say the fire was intentionally set by an arsonist, though no arrests have been made.
Surveillance shows a man walking toward the restaurant with what appears to be two jugs of liquid moments before the fire erupted.
“That’s just got to be someone’s hatred, someone’s anger coming out of them. I can’t imagine anybody feeling that much hate towards any of the businesses,” Pilkington said.
The owner of El Camino says this hits hard for a lot of people, as the Mexican eatery has been a cornerstone for 30 years.
“It’s not just a place of business where you come in and go, you clock in and clock out,” El Camino’s owner Marie Brown said. “These are families.”
The businesses are now focused on helping their employees stay on their feet.
“They’re struggling to make do with what they have. Some of them have rent payments and mortgage payments,” Pilkington said.
Those impacted by the fire hope to get a chance to rebuild and vow to reopen as soon as possible.
“We are a staple in the community and we want to continue to do so,” Brown said.
A GoFundMe page is helping employees who lost their jobs at Pizzamania as a result of the fire.
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