Last fast-food place in PG.
Demolition of the Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Monterey that was destroyed by fire in April will begin in a couple of weeks, a city official said this week. At about 6:35 a.m. on April 3, a large blaze engulfed the fast-food eatery at 902 Lighthouse Ave., causing the building to collapse. Firefighters from numerous jurisdictions responded to the dramatic blaze, which did not injure anyone.
Whatever brings ’em in. Too bad the last fast-food place this side of the tunnel is gone.
The burned-out husk of the Carl’s Jr. building on the corner of Lighthouse and David avenues draws passersby with their phones out, snapping photos of the pile of rubble that neighbors the Pacific Grove Tourist Information Center and is a stone’s throw from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Monterey Fire Division Chief Justin Cooper says insurance investigators are still combing the property to try to determine the cause of the fire, which remains unknown. Due to the severity of the damage, the cause may never be discovered, but Cooper says it doesn’t appear the fire was set intentionally.
The Monterey Fire Department responded to reports of a commercial structure fire at 902 Lighthouse Ave. around 6:37 a.m. according to a press release from the City of Monterey. Fire crews arrived within five minutes to find smoke inside the fast-food restaurant, located at the corner of Lighthouse and David Avenues, a few blocks up from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Firefighters found flames spreading rapidly through the attic. As the fire intensified, crews switched to a defensive strategy and evacuated the structure due to concerns about a potential roof collapse.
The fire was eventually contained, but the damage was extensive. The roof and several walls collapsed, and officials have deemed the building a complete loss. A Monterey Fire engine and ladder truck will remain on-site to monitor for flare-ups.