Mariposa's Pizza Factory is making a comeback after a fire

FRESNO, Calif.

The fire happened near Highway 140 and Fifth Street. Six businesses were destroyed, including the Mariposa Pizza Factory. About a million dollars in damage was left behind. The historic building dated back to the gold rush.

Sky high flames left behind seven businesses in charred black destruction.

Frank Vigneri said, "I was here the night it all happened and dragged some of the product out of the seven businesses that lost their business."

But now many in this town are ecstatic because the wooden frames bring back memories of the Pizza Factory, and the good food that likes ahead.

Roy Chriswell is the foreman who is working overtime to make sure the popular restaurant is back open a year from the day it was destroyed.

Chriswell and his crew are paying special attention to build a new restaurant that looks like the old building that dates back to the gold rush, they're using steel doors to keep to the same period.

Chriswell said, "We went through the historical society in town and they wanted to see it put back exactly the way it was built in 1860 and we have done quite a bit of that."

Chriswell says it's a pleasure to rebuild a place where people have so many memories, and many here can't wait for opening day.

Now that the wooden frames are up, the next phase of construction will be to install electrical and plumbing.

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