Fire crews in Tampa battled flames at a W Waters Avenue strip mall for more than three hours early Saturday morning.
- Fire sparks at strip mall in Tampa overnight
- Officials said fire originated from nail salon
- Two firefighters injured; no other injuries
Fire crews found smoke coming from the roof area of the eastern end of the single story commercial building. Officials said the fire appeared to originate from a nail supply business. The chemicals inside posed a challenge for firefighters as they worked to get the flames under control.
The fire affected each of the five storefronts located in the strip mall. While not every one was damaged by flames, they share the same attic which let smoke into each unit. Electricity has been cut to the entire building and fire officials say it sustained some structural damage.
One of the businesses is home to Blue Island Jamaican Restaurant. The owner, Ricardo Webb, says this is his busiest time of the year.
"A lot of people call in for catering orders for Christmas, but I'm out of business irght now," he said.
He was trying to fill orders when the fire broke out around 2:45 Saturday morning. Webb says he watched firefighters do their best to tackle the flames. But ultimately, his business was deemed unsafe for entry.
"It's less money and I got a lot of mouths to feed," he said.
Two firefighters were injured, but both are expected to be okay. One suffered from smoke inhalation and the other was treated for a minor head injury.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.