Fire Destroys Cherryland Clothing Store

By Bay City News — Alameda County firefighters say a fire on Meekland Avenue this morning damaged a store so badly they could not identify the business.

The fire was reported at 3:19 a.m. today in a strip mall in the 20000 block of Meekland Avenue, said Battalion Chief T. J. Welch. He said the fire started in one of the mall's stores, but that he could not identify the store because it sustained heavy damage in the fire.

At one point, a small explosion blew the front window of the store, spreading debris 120 feet from the building across the street, Welch said.

Neighboring stores, including a liquor store, sustained slight smoke damage, but most of the fire damage was contained to the single store.

Firefighters had the fire under control by 4 a.m. No one was injured, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.