A fire has heavily damaged the Spires Family Restaurant in Escondido, according to officials.
The fire began around 2:45 a.m. and was fully involved, with flames coming up through the roof.
The battalion chief with Escondido fire said the structure of this building made firefighting efforts difficult. The building is old and the roof has collapsed, and officials said it's too dangerous for crews to go near the fire, and that is why they're using aerials to knock this down.
The owner of Spires told NBC 7 he is in complete shock. He watched his restaurant burn to the ground as firefighters worked on controlling the blaze.
The restaurant has been in operation since 1987. Officials are investigating the cause.
Check back for updates on this story.
