A raging overnight fire destroyed a historic business complex in the Newhall area of Santa Clarita Monday, wiping away a 100-year-old structure that housed longtime community staples including a restaurant and performing arts theater.
Crews responded to the fire at 2:55 a.m. in the 24000 block of North Main Street, a Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman told City News Service.
The heavy flames and smoke led to a second-alarm being called at 3:07 a.m., followed by a third-alarm at 4:42 a.m., increasing the number of personnel on the scene, department public information officer Keith Navarre said.
Firefighters had to take up defensive positions around the fire and train water on the flames from aerial ladder trucks to “surround and drown” the fire and protect nearby structures.
One person was taken to a hospital around six hours after the fire was reported, but the patient was not believed to have been hurt in the fire, Navarre said. The nature and extent of the person’s injury was not immediately known.
Video showed heavy smoke with the glow of flames showing through the haze as fire crews poured streams of water on the blaze.
By 8 a.m., the flames were largely doused, but crews continued pouring water on the complex and used excavators to known down some of the smoldering structures.
“It pretty much consumed the whole commercial building,” Navarre said.
A total of 112 firefighters responded, bringing 58 pieces of apparatus, and a hazardous materials team was called in, as well as investigators who set about determining the cause of the blaze, according to Navarre.
Among the businesses destroyed where the MAIN Theatre, Newhall Refinery restaurant, and a body shop, all located in a historic structure more than 100 years old in Old Town Newhall.
The owners of the Newhall Refinery posted a statement on social media Monday afternoon saying they were “still processing what has happened and waiting to fully understand the extent of the damage.”
“Newhall Refinery has always been more than a restaurant to us,” according to the statement. “It is a gathering place filled with celebrations, friendships, live music, family dinners, first dates, birthdays and countless memories. Our team has poured so much of their hearts into making the Refinery a special part of Old Town Newhall. While there are still many unknowns and a long road ahead, our hope and intention is to rebuild and welcome all of you back to Newhall Refinery as soon as we possibly can.”
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, issued a statement saying, “My heart goes out to the business owners in Old Town Newhall who woke up this morning to devastating losses. These are small businesses that are part of the fabric of this community, and for some owners, years of hard work and livelihoods were destroyed in a matter of hours. Our focus now is on supporting these business owners as they begin the difficult process of recovering and rebuilding.”
Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste added in a statement, “Old Town Newhall is the root of our city’s history. I am sorry to lose these historic buildings. While we feel the loss, we also look to our future to support the people who have always worked toward making this a special place in our community. We will ensure that the history of this treasured area continues to be celebrated as the city will do everything we can to bring back what we have lost.”