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Neighbor who reported fire says rooster crowing alerted him to the blaze
By Miriam Raftery
December 9, 2012 (La Mesa) – “It sounded like really big thunder,” ECM writer and La Mesa resident Ariele Brooks said of propane tank explosions that damaged the exterior of Gingham’s Restaurant on La Mesa Boulevard downtown. “First my back door rattled two times about 5 or 10 minutes apart…Nothing was out there, so I thought maybe it was an explosion. But then there was this very loud sound.”
Another neighbor, Bob James, told La Mesa Today that a rooster crowing awakened him. Spotting flames, he called 911. "The rooster is a hero!" he proclaimed. (No word on whether the plucky foul who saved the downtown village will sway councilmembers on the merits of owning roosters, which is currently prohibited in La Mesa.)
Heartland Fire & Rescue crews responded at 5:48 a.m. to what was initially reported as a rubbish fire behind the restaurant. Crews arrived in three minutes to find flames ten feet high and multiple explosions caused by propane tanks. The initial fire engine reported around 5 to 6 explosions and approximately 8 to 10 ruptured propane tanks. There were a total of approximately 35 propane tanks in the area.
They immediately called for a first alarm structure fire response which brought three more engines, one truck company, and a battalion chief, said Sonny Saghera, public information officer for Heartland. Firefighters stretched hose lines to the exterior of the building and put water on the blaze while simultaneously cooling the remaining propane tanks.
“The quick response and attack by firefighters confined the fire to solely exterior damage to the restaurant and a nearby music store,” Saghera said. La Mesa Patch reports that a few instruments inside the music stores were also damaged.
Investigators determined that the fire was caused by oily rags bunched together and stored in a bin near the propane tanks. Organic materials from the oil in the rags built up heat over time and spontaneously ignited.
“Rags or towels that are used to clean any type of oil or grease should not be contained in a ball but rather laid out to dry before being stored in a properly approved container,” Saghera advised.
Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at approximately $50,000.
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