The fire started in the basement of a Texas Chicken and Pizza restaurant at 64-01 Broadway in Woodside just after midnight and triggered a second alarm minutes later.
The fire destroyed the store and spread to two other adjoining businesses, including a hair salon and a liquor store.
“I was walking down the street and saw the fire, then I got scared and called 911,” a witness said.
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It appeared that the building also housed several residential apartments above businesses and people were driven from their homes.
It is not known how many people lived there.
People from a nearby salon described what happened.
“We were in the living room and we heard a loud noise,” one man said. “It was a fire truck and everything and we got out and saw the place burning. It’s a very busy intersection and a lot of traffic comes in here because of the businesses around here so it’s going to have a huge impact .”
Three minor injuries were reported.
More than 100 firefighters responded to put out the blaze, which was brought under control around 1:40 a.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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