The damage is extensive after a 4-alarm fire tore through a shopping plaza in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Thursday morning.
The fire broke out late Wednesday night around 11:30 at the Valley West Shopping Plaza. A total of four or five businesses have been affected.
Peter Cote, owner of Beemers Pub for the past five years, says his life changed overnight for the worse with a phone call.
Cote said, "My bartender called me, woke me up and said the fire alarms were going off inside the pub. And they've gone off before. I just assumed that it was just a smoke detector dusty or whatever."
He added, "When I got here the smoke and flames were going and I just couldn't believe it.
Officials say shutting the gas off was difficult because the mains were covered in snow. A bulldozer was called in to clear the snow.
Fire crews believe the fire started at a laundry mat or pizza shop. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Massachusetts
The latest news from around the state
There were no injuries.
