Four businesses were deemed a total loss following a three-alarm commercial fire in San Diego's Webster neighborhood, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD).
The blaze was reported shortly after 4 a.m. at a strip mall on the 1700 block of Euclid Avenue. There, a fire that began in a dumpster spread to nearby buildings. It took roughly 100 firefighters to extinguish the blaze since the flames made their way into an attic space the businesses shared, SDFD said.
San Diego News
In total, six businesses were impacted by the inferno, with four of them being destroyed. Among the businesses that were destroyed was beloved barber shop, Big Cuts.
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"I just couldn’t believe it," said Toi Ritchey, whose husband owns the barber shop. "I parked across the street and I was like, ‘oh my god.’ I didn’t expect to see all these firetrucks and everything and the streets locked up. I didn’t know that it was that serious. I really didn’t.
Rev. Marc Ritchey has owned Big Cuts for 20 years and used it to give back to his community. It was more than a place to cut hair, but a safe space for struggling individuals who could use some extra help. At Big Cuts, low-income children were able to get free haircuts and unsheltered residents were able to get the service, too.
"I put equity back into my community and I love this city," Rev. Ritchey told NBC 7. "And, we will prevail."
The reverend's wife echoed those sentiments.
"It’s really sad. It’s sad," Toi Ritchey said. "But in some kind of way, God’s going to help us bring it back because we’re really like a big part of the community here."
No injuries were reported in connection with the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
