Fire Ravages Major Santa Paula Store

An early-morning fire destroyed one of the largest businesses in downtown Santa Paula on Tuesday and caused an estimated $2-million damage, city officials said.

The blaze, which investigators said was caused by an electrical short, destroyed Moore’s General Store and two other businesses in a one-story building at Main and 10th streets.

Three Santa Paula firefighters suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, which began about 1:40 a.m. and took 4 1/2 hours to extinguish. They were treated at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, said city spokesman Paul Eckert.

Two other businesses, Crane Printing and a career counseling service, were also destroyed in the blaze. But the loss of Moore’s, a Santa Paula institution for at least 40 years, will especially hurt the city’s downtown, Eckert said.

“It has a huge impact because it’s one of the largest businesses in Santa Paula,” Eckert said. The business, which sold artwork, antiques and knickknacks, drew tourists from the nearby Unocal Oil Museum on East Main Street.

“Moore’s is one of our magnets, and we’re sorry to see it temporarily damaged,” he said.

The store attracted customers from all over the county, employees said. “It was a beautiful store, very special,” said 12-year employee Betty Winegar. “This is a tragedy for Santa Paula. I can’t believe the devastation.”

Fire officials estimated the total damage at $2 million. Moore’s owner Patrice Ridgik said her losses alone totaled about $1.5 million.

“It was part of the town,” Ridgik said, gazing at the gutted building. “We put a lot of hard work into the store. Now it’s ruined.”

Thomas Crane, who owns Crane Printing, said he lost cash registers, cameras and presses in the fire but could not give a damage estimate.

“This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” said Crane, who has operated the store since 1974.

Although fire walls prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings, Santa Paula Fire Capt. Dave Thompson said the structure was engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds after the electrical short occurred in the attic above Crane Printing.

“The fire lashed up in the attic and went wild,” Thompson said. “It was real touch-and-go for awhile.”

Sixteen trucks, five fire chiefs and 50 firefighters from Santa Paula and the Ventura County Fire Department helped put out the fire, which was reported by a passerby.

Ridgik said she plans to reopen Moore’s eventually but could not predict when or where.

Eckert said the building, which was constructed in 1928, is owned by Robert Dickenson, a member of a prominent Santa Paula family, who could not be reached for comment. The brick walls remained standing, but a structural engineer will have to determine whether the building can be salvaged.

Despite their losses, the merchants were already looking ahead.

“Now it’s a case of sifting through what’s left,” said Ridgik’s aunt, Carol Neiberg, as she triumphantly held up a toy fire engine salvaged from Moore’s.