Fire In Yakima Causes Over a Million Dollars in Damage to Two Businesses

Damage is estimated at 1.2 million dollars from an early morning fire in Yakima. The fire caused extensive smoke and water damage to the Shopkeeper and Geppetto’s Italian Bistro and Deli at 3105 Summitview Avenue.

Yakima Fire Department Battalion Chief Rocky Willette says when firefighters arrived just after midnight they found heavy black smoke coming from the attic and fire was coming from the roof at the back of the building.  He said "we fought the fire hard for an hour and a half before it finally went out, we received mutual aide from Union Gap, West Valley, Yakima Training Center and the East Valley Fire Departments. A lot of damage was done prior to our arrival, and the smoke was coming through the cracks in the walls."

It was near midnight when the business owner received a phone call from his fire alarm monitoring company. There was an alarm sounding at his business. When he arrived, he noticed the smell of smoke. He checked the back door of Gepetto's and found it very hot to the touch. He immediately called 911.

It appears the fire started in the back of the restaurant where the kitchen is located. The exact cause of the fire is not known.  Investigators are on the scene. The fire destroyed 20 percent of the structure and the remainder had smoke and heat damage.