Fire Damages San Jose 7-Eleven, Laundromat
SAN JOSE (BCN) - A two-alarm fire damaged a convenience store and laundromat in San Jose Friday morning, a fire captain said.
The fire was reported at about 4 a.m. behind the 7-Eleven located at 2440 Almaden Road, and crews arrived on the scene within six minutes, San Jose fire Capt. Robert Culbertson said.
The 7-Eleven shares an attic space with the neighboring laundromat, and both businesses are stocked with goods and other flammable items that had the potential to stoke a much larger fire, Culbertson said.
The blaze started behind the structure, crept its way up a back wall and across the ceiling, and possibly compromised the structural support of a rooftop air conditioning unit, putting firefighters at a severe risk.
Despite the dangers posed by the blaze, firefighters controlled the fire by about 6:30 a.m., Culbertson said. No one was injured in the fire, he said.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
"We know it started on the back exterior wall, but we don't know the ignition source," Culbertson said.
He said the 7-Eleven "may be closed for a while," while the laundromat, which sustained less damage, will likely open sooner.
Fire officials had yet to determine as of Friday morning how much damage was caused by the fire.
Along with the damage done to the structure and its contents, the estimate will include the revenue lost while the stores remain closed, Culbertson said.
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