Large fire damages 4 businesses in downtown Lindsay

LINDSAY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A massive fire in the heart of Downtown Lindsay left half of a block in rubble as outside fire departments rushed in to help early Friday morning.

Javier Ignacio owns Cumbias Thrift Store on Honolulu and Elmwood. It carries second-hand clothes, electronics and furniture.

In Spanish, he told Action News, "I feel horrible. It (business) was all of my savings. Because of the pandemic, we had to pay rent without having much business. We just opened back up two months ago, seven days a week and then this happens."

Ignacio said he doesn't know what he's going to do now that his store is gone.

The Lindsay Fire Department responded to a fire at his store Friday morning around 2:15 am. The fire grew so large that crews from Tulare and Visalia were called in to help.

"It really took out a corner of the block," said Tulare County Fire Captain Joanne Bear.

Four businesses in total, including a jewelry store, insurance company and pool hall were destroyed by the blaze.

Fire officials said the damage is estimated at $800,000 for the buildings and another $100,000 for the contents inside.

"It's obviously devastating for the business owners. We're a small town, we rely a lot on our small businesses for our own success as a city, we rely on them," said Joe Tanner, Lindsay's city manager.

Tanner said the city's first priority is everyone's safety. They are expediting inspections to get things back up and running in the area.

He and Mayor Ramona Caudillo visited the site first thing Friday morning.

"There are no words to even describe how devastating it is," Caudillo said.

She said the city will do what it can to connect the business owners with resources to get them back on their feet.

"We are all very sorry, as a council and a city. We can do whatever we can to help," Caudillo said.

Signs were posted on the buildings that said do not enter Friday afternoon.

Ignacio, the thrift store owner, has created a GoFundMe to help with expenses for his family until he can figure out what to do next.