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Investigators Say Major Fire Which Damaged South Coast Commercial Building Accidental In Nature

(Photo By Mike Eliason, Santa Barbara County Fire Department)
Santa Barbara County firefighters battle three alarm blaze in Goleta. no one was hurt, but it destroyed much of a 30,000 square foot building

Investigators say a massive fire which swept through a 30,000 square foot building on the South Coast which included a Islamic prayer facility was accidental.

The blaze was discovered just after 9 Sunday night at a two story commercial building on the 600 block of Ward Drive, in Goleta. Dozens of Santa Barbara County firefighters battle the fire for more than three hours before fully controlling it.

It damaged about half of the 30,000 square foot building, which has a half dozen tenants. Among those housed in the building is the Islamic Society of Santa Barbara, which has been renting space in the building while planning and raising money for a permanent home.

Investigators say they have indications that the fire was accidental in nature, but because of heavy debris from the fire in the area believed to be its origin, they haven’t pinpointed the cause of the fire yet. No one was hurt.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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