Correction: An earlier version of this story said T-Shirt Factory would be "forced to close" after losing its building. The owner said the impact would be greater during its peak business season but did not say it would never reopen.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Crews are hard at work dealing with the aftermath of the massive 3-alarm fire that tore through businesses at the Oceanfront on Tuesday night.
Crews believe the fire, which impacted structures in the area of 27th and Atlantic, started around 5:15 p.m. Original reports claimed the fire started at The T-Shirt Factory, but now officials are telling us they are unsure of where the blaze started.
Avinash Basnet, the store’s owner, told us an employee called him and reported smoke coming from the vents. The employee then went next door and returned to find heavier smoke. Basnet called 911 from his house to alert authorities.
News
75+ firefighters put out 3-alarm fire along Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach
The fire eventually spread and tore through the Maple Tree Pancake House and the King of the Sea restaurant.
Over 75 firefighters were involved in the effort to extinguish the fire, according to VBFD. They worked for over five hours before the fire was officially marked out at 10:45 p.m., the department said.
VBFD says no civilians were injured, but one firefighter with minor burn injuries was taken to the hospital and another was evaluated at the scene.
People who were in the area during the fire described the chaotic scene to us. They vividly recalled the large clouds of black smoke.
"It was terrible, awful. I worried. 'Is this another 9/11?' That’s what we were thinking, a terrorist attack. We tried to walk over... and we couldn’t really breathe, the air was terrible," said tourist Phyllis Jacobs said.
"We’re staying [at the Costa Azul Suites Hotel] on the 6th floor. Right next door," said vacationer Jerone Anderson. "They just evacuated the first couple of floors and the people who were parked here. They everybody they had to move because it was all filled with smoke."
The next morning, crews were still at the scene to handle some remaining hot spots.
Our team at the scene said the area where The T-Shirt Factory, Maple Tree Pancake House and King of the Sea once stood is now a pile of rubble and debris. Some employees who showed up expecting to clock in expressed their shock when they saw their workplaces burned to the ground.
Basnet says the fire's impact on his business is amplified since it happened during July and August, which he says are the store's peak months. He added that he's glad no one was killed and is confident that the department will determine the cause of the fire.
The owners of the Maple Tree Pancake House also told us they're devastated by the fire. Maria Lindroos, the daughter of owners Reino and Roulla, said losing the building is an emotional loss for the family: Her parents opened Maple Tree after immigrating to the U.S. in 1974.
Maria described her parent's journey from opening the store to running it for decades as the "American Dream." She said the family is in shock that they've lost the store that's been an integral part of their lives for 42 years.
"This was a devastation to my family. This is what my parents do every day. This is their one and only business," said Maria.
She says no one was inside the building during the fire since it was closed, but her parents rushed to the scene after getting a call about the fire around 5:30 p.m. Now, they're busy calling insurance, employees and utilities, Maria said.
Matthew Vakos, the owner of the Vakos Development Company which owns the now-destroyed property and building, described the loss as a "piece of broken history." He says his grandfather built the property and he used to eat breakfast at the Maple Tree Pancake House as a kid.
We spoke with community members who empathize with those impacted by the fire. Don McDaniel, a Virginia Beach resident, says he’ll miss eating at the Maple Tree Pancake House.
"The people were really nice. To see this happen is awful," McDaniel said.
Dalon McHugh, a pizza maker at nearby Benny’s Pizza, said he wasn't at work when the fire happened. He was shocked when he learned about the fire.
"At first, I was just like, 'What’s going on?' That’s right where I work at around 27th Street. I definitely feel for those folks that lost their jobs," he said.
The three businesses were the only ones completely ravaged by the fire, but we know others in the area were also impacted by smoke damage, although it’s unclear how many.
Vakos told us that Servpro, a fire and water cleanup company, is coming out on the morning of Thursday, July 13 to assess the damage. He says they've been given the "all clear" by the city for cleanup, and hopes they can open the sidewalk by next week. There will likely be a safety fence added.
Authorities say they’re still investigating the cause of the fire.
We will be following this story extensively. Stay with News 3 for updates.
