Crime & Safety

Strip Mall Briefly Evacuated for Attic Fire At Leslie's Pool Supplies on Parkway Dr.

Contrary to first reports, Heartland Fire & Rescue didn't need HAZMAT help.

Heartland Fire & Rescue on Tuesday morning responded to a small fire in the attic of Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies on Parkway Drive near Jackson Drive in west La Mesa, causing the evacuation of surrounding businesses for about a half-hour, fire officials say.

Sonny Saghera, spokesman for the fire agency, said nobody was hurt in the incident, which at least one report said led to dispatch of the hazardous materials team.

Saghera said HAZMAT was initially requested but was canceled after it was found no chemicals were involved in the fire.

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About 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, he said, a fire call led to four engines, a truck and a battalion chief responding to the strip mall at 8200 Parkway Drive, parallel to Fletcher Parkway.

The first fire unit arrived within 5 minutes to discover light smoke coming from the roof of Leslie’s Pool Supply, Saghera said.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Heartland Fire & Rescue units from La Mesa and El Cajon, assisted by units from San Diego Fire, quickly cut a hole in the roof where they discovered flames in the attic space," he said. “Hose lines were put into place and the fire was extinguished within 10 minutes."

At 11:25 a.m., an employee of the pool-supply store said, “Everybody’s fine,” and referred all other questions to corporate headquarters.

Heartland fire units were at the scene for about an hour, Saghera said. The evacuation order was lifted after crews batted down the fire, confined to the attic.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.   

"The primary focus of the investigation is electrical wiring in the attic space," Saghera said. Damage is estimated at $10,000, he said.

A receptionist for VCA Grossmont Animal Hospital in the strip mall said her staff and pet patients didn’t have to leave, but clients had to park down the street because the parking lot was blocked.


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