Campo

The well-known Dogpatch U.S.A. Cafe was destroyed by a fire late Monday night, a stubborn blaze that was doused only through the combined efforts of 35 firefighters and 14 fire engines. Officials said they are investigating the possibility that the fire was purposely set.

Fire broke out in a corner of the wooden, 30-year-old restaurant and dance hall at 10:30 p.m., just half an hour after owner Leonard Reaves had closed for the night, officials from the Sheriff’s Department bomb and arson detail said.

Arson investigator Bill Crigler said it didn’t appear that the fire was accidental. “There were some time factors that made me believe there is a lot of suspicion here,” he said. He declined to be more specific pending the investigation, which will take several days.

Firefighters from Potrero, Tecate, Pine Valley and the California Department of Forestry assisted the Campo Volunteer Fire Company in battling the blaze, which wasn’t contained until 3 a.m. Tuesday. Crews remained at the site Tuesday to mop up and squelch hot spots that flared occasionally in the rubble.

Sheriff’s investigators estimate the damage to the cafe and its contents at $150,000. Among the items lost were a 19th-Century wood-burning stove, several pieces of antique furniture and photos and drawings of the comic strip character Li’l Abner.

Reaves, 64, a retired Navy chief, bought the Dogpatch U.S.A. Cafe in 1980.