A restaurant and a barber shop in Somerville, Massachusetts, were destroyed in a fire that the chief called "one of the toughest fights" he's ever had.
Flames broke out in a building that's home to several businesses on Broadway near Assembly Row around 10 p.m. Monday and burned through the night.
Somerville Fire Chief Charles Breen said firefighters went into the basement, but it became too dangerous, so they had to pull out and attack the fire from the outside.
"It was a very stubborn fire," Breen said. "It's difficult for us when we go to an exterior attack because we're not able to go in and open up the walls, the ceilings, so it was sort of behind the eight ball. The fire was able to spread around and eventually the roof collapsed."
Two firefighters were hurt.
"They got an electrical shock," Breen said, adding that both were sent to the hospital, treated and released. "They're doing OK."
The Rei Da Picanha Brazilian restaurant, known as "King of Sirloin," and the Damata barber shop next door were destroyed.
"The fire has been devastating," said Lindsay Allen, executive director of business organization East Somerville Main Streets.
Both businesses were closed when the fire started, the chief said.
"King of Sirloin has been here for multiple years as a family-owned business. It's a lady who's so passionate about her cuisine. Unfortunately the day she doesn't open, this happens to her," said Luis Morales, who owns the buildings where the businesses operate.
Breen said there was smoke damage in the Santander Bank next to the restaurant and other nearby stores had smoke and water damage. In total, six businesses were impacted.
"It was a very tough fight. It was one of the toughest fights I've had," Breen said. "We're fortunate that there were no serious injuries and that we didn't lose the entire business block."
Los Toritos Meat Market was one of the businesses that had water damage. Morales said they had to throw away $50,000 worth of inventory.
There's no word yet on a cause.
