FLORIST SHOP BURNED OUT TWICE SECOND SUSPICIOUS FIRE SINCE MAY INVESTIGATED.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer LANCASTER - Stephanie Gile and Randy Poitevint's landmark downtown flower shop burned four days before Mother's Day. Their replacement shop, about two weeks away from opening, went up in flames In Flames is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden founded in 1990. Along with Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates, they pioneered what is now known as melodic death metal. before dawn Tuesday. ``I don't even know how we're going to do this,'' Gile said Tuesday as investigators looked for evidence around the gutted two-story building that was to become Lancaster Florist's new home. ``It's just wrong, wrong.'' Said Poitevint: ``There's some sick people in this world.'' Gile said she knows of no enemy who would want to burn them out twice. She suspects the fires might be connected to their battle with city officials over being forced out of their rented Lancaster Boulevard shop because the city purchased the property. An apparently mentally ill man was arrested after the May 4 fire gutted their original shop at Lancaster Boulevard and 10th Street West. He is out of jail awaiting a preliminary hearing, but Gile said she doubts he is responsible for the second fire. She also wonders what the full story might be about the first fire. ``It's pretty easy just to hand somebody $20,'' she said. Fire officials estimated that Tuesday morning's blaze caused $800,000 damage and will require the building at 1669 W. Ave. J to be redone re·done v. Past participle of redo. . The walls are still standing because they are made of block, but the roof caved in and interior wood was destroyed. The fire was reported just after 4:30 a.m. Tuesday by a passing motorist. At the same time, nurses at nearby Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital told paramedics that smoke was rising across the street. When the first firefighters pulled up, flames were coming out the roof. ``The fire had been burning for quite awhile a·while adv. For a short time. Usage Note: Awhile, an adverb, is never preceded by a preposition such as for, but the two-word form a while may be preceded by a preposition. ,'' fire Capt. John Santero san·te·ro n. A priest of Santeria. [American Spanish, from Spanish, cult priest, from santo, saint; see Santeria.] said. While fighting the blaze inside the burning building, a firefighter's foot broke through the interior staircase staircase - jaggies up to the second-floor mezzanine mez·za·nine n. 1. A partial story between two main stories of a building. 2. The lowest balcony in a theater or the first few rows of that balcony. . He was pulled free by his comrades and wasn't injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. , Santero said. Thirty firefighters on five fire engines, two ladder trucks and two paramedic par·a·med·ic n. A person who is trained to give emergency medical treatment or assist medical professionals. paramedic squads from Lancaster and Palmdale stations knocked down the fire in about 40 minutes. Sheriff's officials aren't saying much about the fire and what relation it might have to the first one. ``We're very aware of the circumstances CIRCUMSTANCES, evidence. The particulars which accompany a fact. 2. The facts proved are either possible or impossible, ordinary and probable, or extraordinary and improbable, recent or ancient; they may have happened near us, or afar off; they are public or . Obviously we can't jump to conclusions but we're aware of what occurred in the past,'' sheriff's Lt. Wallace Fullerton said. Standing Tuesday morning outside the gutted building, Gile said she doesn't know what her insurance will cover. The city's redevelopment agency had paid them $170,000 to move out of their Lancaster Boulevard shop when the city acquired the property, Gile said. That money went toward the $300,000 price of the Avenue J land. She said they have spent another $1.1 million on the building, which was under construction when the May 4 fire occurred. Since the May 4 fire, Lancaster Florist has been operating out of a storefront next door on Lancaster Boulevard. Gile said customer traffic has dropped dramatically because people apparently don't notice the signs on the fire-damaged former shop directing them around the corner. Gile said she's been told that other local florists think she's come out on top from the relocation RELOCATION, Scotch law, contracts. To let again to renew a lease, is called a relocation. 2. When a tenant holds over after the expiration of his lease, with the consent of his landlord, this will amount to a relocation. , since she is getting a new shop in a building that is large enough to have tenants, including a Quizno's sandwich shop, a barber A barber (from the Latin barba, "beard") is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, give shaves, and trim beards. In previous times, barbers also performed surgery and dentistry. and a coffee shop. But she said she and Poitevint didn't want to move from the corner where Lancaster Florist had been for 17 years. They were paying $1,200 a month rent. Their monthly mortgage payment is now $10,000, she said. ``I was totally content right there,'' she said. City officials said they have tried to help the florist succeed in a new location. The latest fire surprised them, said redevelopment official Vern Lawson Jr., who inspected the damage early Tuesday. ``It's a tough deal,'' Lawson said. Charles F. Bostwick, (661) 267-5742 chuck.bostwick(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Lancaster Florist's new shop, about two weeks from opening, burned for the second time Tuesday morning in the 1600 block of West Avenue J. Paul Weatherman/Special to the Daily News (2 -- color) Co-owner Randy Poitevint stands in front of Lancaster Florist's new building, which looks fine from the outside but is gutted inside from Tuesday morning's fire. (3) Stephanie Gile, co-owner of Lancaster Florist, looks at the fire damage inside the shop. Sheriff's investigators are working to determine the cause of the suspicious blaze. It is the second time since May the shop has been burned; a suspect was arrested in the first fire and is awaiting a preliminary hearing on an arson arson, at common law, the malicious and willful burning of the house of another. Originally, it was an offense against the security of habitation rather than against property rights. charge. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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