VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A raging fire gutted a historic commercial strip mall in old town Victorville Saturday night.
On Saturday, November 23, 2019, at about 9:00 pm Victorville Fire Department was dispatched to a reported smell of smoke in the area of 7th and B Streets in old town.
On arrival, Medic Engine 311 found a large fire in the 15000 block of 7th Street and reported the fire had burned through the roof of the approximately 10,000 sq ft., prompting a full commercial structure fire response.
Victorville City Spokeswoman Sue Jones said, “the fire was managed as a defensive fire due to the amount of fire involvement and building structural integrity. This meant that crews would fight fire from the exterior but would not enter the building. The fire was declared under control at approx. 11 p.m.”
Apple Valley Fire, Cal Fire, and County Fire assisted during the incident.
The site of the fire is a historic strip mall that dates back to the 50s and 60’s when popular brands like JC Penny’s and Sears occupied the building.
VVNG commenter Betty Marek said, “my parents used to own the Grocery store across the street from this shopping center. We changed the name from Luncefords Market to, Valley Center Market. We owned it from 1967 to 1975 when my parents retired. The shopping center where this fire was, was part of the shopping hub downtown Victorville. Sad to see this fire.”
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time and will be under investigation.
List of recent fires in old town Victorville:
At about 6:10 pm on Saturday, September 14, 2019, three separate homes caught fire in the culdesac in the 15900 block of Fresno Way. No injuries were reported and the cause was under investigation.
The following day, at about 7:23 pm on September 15, 2019, Victorville City firefighters responded to a residential structure fire in the 15500 block of 5th Street.
On September 23, 2019, at about 6:30 pm, firefighters responded to a fire that destroyed several classrooms of the former Victor Valley Junior High School that was built in 1937.
On October 27, 2019, at about 10:30 am, firefighters responded to a fire inside the old El Rancho theater in old town. The extent of damages and the cause of the fire are both currently unknown. No injuries were reported.
On November 19, 2019, at about 12:55 am, a suspicious fire destroyed a home directly across from Center Street Park at the corner of Verde Street. City officials said the home was illegally occupied.
Several hours later, on November 19, 2019, a second house fire was reported less than half-a-mile away in the 16000 block of Joshua Street. The home was damaged by the fire which was also considered to be suspicious.
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