San Diego
An early-morning arson fire Wednesday caused $50,000 damage to a University Avenue cafe and beauty shop, the San Diego Fire Department said.
It took 15 firefighters a short time to knock down the blaze that began at 3:58 a.m. at the Montana Cafe, 1421 University Ave., said Capt. Ben Garland of the Fire Department. Firefighters were able to squelch the flames before they did significant damage to a beauty shop above the cafe, he said.
The cafe absorbed most of the $40,000 structural damage, Garland said. The loss of cafe contents was estimated at $10,000.
Investigators from the Metro Arson Strike Team determined that the fire was deliberately set in two places--an electric panel box inside the cafe and an area just outside the eatery--Garland said.
A worker at the Montana Cafe said the restaurant probably will be open Friday.
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