Even though the entire office of Mission City Fumigation was destroyed in Sunday night’s commercial structure fire in Goleta, owner Latoya Guron says much of its contents can be replaced one way or another.
What can’t be, however, are photographs, mementos and other memories her family had kept at the office at 650 Ward Drive.
In addition to the IT infrastructure, kitchen supplies and wedding photos, the fire claimed many of the belongings of Guron’s daughter, Tianna Dixon, and all of the items and baby shower gifts of her granddaughter, Evelyn, who is due March 12.
“She basically lost everything that she has purchased during her pregnancy, and everything she received during her baby shower,” Guron said.
A GoFundMe campaign started by a good friend of hers seeks to raise $2,500 to cover Dixon’s losses.
The three-alarm blaze broke out around 9:15 p.m. at 650 Ward Dr., severely damaging the 30,000-square-foot, two-story structure with corrugated-metal sides.
When firefighters arrived, they found flames and smoke pouring from the building’s windows, and spent several hours spraying large streams of water into the structure.
No injuries were reported, and no damage estimate was available.
Guron found out about the fire right before going to bed Sunday night.
Two of the offices in her 4,000 square feet of commercial space were used as extra storage room for her family.
“Our office is a complete loss,” Guron said. “We were definitely in the belly of the beast.”
But because much of the pest-control field equipment was stored away from the building in a truck yard, the business is still operable, she added.
Dixon’s possessions were kept there while she prepared to move into a new apartment.
While diapers, onesies and kitchen utensils can be replaced, Guron said family memories captured in photos were “the dagger.”
“But we’re OK. We’re breathing, we’re safe — we just have to rebuild from here.”
Authorities have ruled out arson as a cause, but the collapse of the second floor, where the fire originated, has made investigating the cause a difficult task.
Other tenants in the building include Derrick’s Roofing, Above All Storage, the Afghanistan Dental Relief Project, Augie’s Water Systems, Gold Crest Inc. and the Islamic Society of Santa Barbara, according to a sign near the entrance.
After sustaining extensive damage in the blaze, the Islamic Society is looking to raise $100,000 to rebuild its mosque, which has been located on the second floor of the charred building for 10 years.
The society’s LaunchGood campaign runs until March 20.
— Noozhawk staff writer Sam Goldman can be reached at sgoldman@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
