A fire that may have been sparked by a malfunctioning stove caused about $1.5 million in damage at a popular sandwich shop at a Linda Vista strip mall, fire officials said Wednesday.
K Sandwiches at 7604 Linda Vista Road went up in flames around 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. The restaurant is known for its Vietnamese sandwiches.
Firefighters initially went inside the burning single-story restaurant but were ordered out after officials decided that conditions were too dangerous, said SDFRD Capt. Joseph Amador. They then fought the blaze from the exterior.
Firefighters spotted a drone flying in the area. Fire officials asked its operator via Twitter to cease flying near the restaurant because firefighters atop ladders "don't need the unsafe distraction."
Amador said most of the fire was knocked down in about an hour, and firefighters would keep watch overnight to guard against flareups. They were also looking into whether a faulty stove caused the fire.
One person was hospitalized, but for reasons not related to the fire. Amador told the San Diego Union-Tribune the shop's 88-year-old owner was being treated for stress-related issues.
