SUN VALLEY, LOS ANGELES () — Multiple businesses were damaged after a fire broke out overnight at a strip mall in Sun Valley, with one business completely destroyed. Now, the incident is being investigated as possible arson.
The fire first broke out shortly before 5 a.m. on Sunday in the 8500 block of N. Sunland Boulevard. It took over 100 firefighters approximately 34 minutes to extinguish the blaze, according to fire officials. No injuries were reported.
The fire heavily damaged El Compadre, a beloved neighborhood market and restaurant in the neighborhood. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed an arson team was called to the scene and is actively investigating the fire as possible arson.
Gerardo Salcedo, the son of the business owner, said police showed the family surveillance video of a man on a bike pulling up overnight. Salcedo said the man pushed a bottle through the mail slot, and minutes later, the business was in flames. He said the family does not know who would target the business.
“Everybody’s sad, you know, my dad worked 30 years. He worked three jobs to afford this place. He also worked here and he bought it nine years ago,” Salcedo said. “He’s been trying to be nice to as many people as he can. He tries to help out the community and to just have everything taken away from him in 20 minutes is tough.”
Longtime customers who came by the scene said they were shocked by the damage and described the owner as someone who helped people in need.
“He has been here for the community so, so much. Me personally, there were times where I didn’t eat anything and I would just go to sleep hungry. But I knew no matter what, I could always come here and get something to eat, even if I had no money,” one customer said. “That’s the type of guy that owner is. He’s so, so kind. So I’m just asking for everybody to pray, share, donate.”
Salcedo said his father kept a wall of unpaid bills inside the business for people who could not pay for food or groceries. He said his father allowed them to come back and pay later so they could eat or take groceries home that day.
Customers said El Compadre was not just a market, but also a restaurant with music and entertainment where people in the community came together.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the business begin the recovery process.
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