Arson a Possibility as Fire Hits Two Thrifty Drugstores

About 100 firefighters fought a suspected arson blaze that broke out in a Wilmington shopping center Sunday, causing extensive damage to a Thrifty drugstore and a Bank of America office.

A half-dozen Los Angeles city firefighters were briefly trapped inside the burning bank when the roof collapsed around them. Other firefighters rescued their colleagues, and one was hospitalized with minor injuries, fire officials said.

The fire at 104 W. Anaheim St. was one of two blazes that struck Thrifty stores in the harbor area Sunday. Both fires were under investigation.

Wilmington Thrifty store manager Glenn Martin said “someone lit the pillows on fire.” Asst. Fire Chief Bob Ramirez said there was “a good indication” that arson was involved.

Authorities said they do not know if the second fire, which caused more than $250,000 damage at a store in San Pedro, was related to the Wilmington blaze.

Fire spokesman David Holcomb said 22 engine companies were sent to the Wilmington shopping center after the fire broke out at 1:32 p.m. on the first floor of a two-story building that housed the drugstore.

Martin said he and other employees tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but failed. “Once it hit the ceiling, it just went,” he said of the gutted building.

There were about 100 customers inside the store at the time and all were evacuated safely, Martin said.

Efforts to contain the blaze were delayed when it spread through a common attic to the Bank of America and the roof caved in, trapping the firefighters. Ramirez said there were no sprinklers in either business.

The Wilmington fire was under control by 4:30 p.m. Two firefighters were treated at the scene by paramedics. A third was taken to San Pedro Peninsula Hospital with possible neck injuries.

The San Pedro fire broke out in the rubber goods section of the Thrifty store at 501 S. Gaffey St., shortly after 2 p.m. It was controlled within 30 minutes. Holcomb said building sprinklers prevented the fire from doing serious damage.

Correspondent Leta Lynde contributed to this story.