STRIP MALL BLAZE; STORES DAMAGED IN FIRE.

Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer

NEWHALL - A fire caused heavy damage Friday to a Lyons Avenue shopping center owned by the husband of Santa Clarita Councilwoman Jan Heidt.

Two shops - a Radio Shack and a shoe store - were uninhabitable after the 7:40 a.m. blaze and three others - China Palace restaurant, a weight loss clinic and a bead store - were closed temporarily because of smoke damage, Los Angeles County fire officials said.

There were no injuries reported. Damage was estimated at about $800,000 to the structure and contents.

Investigators believe the fire was sparked by soldering equipment being used by plumbers connecting copper piping, Capt. Michael Flocks said. There was no sign of arson, Capt. Steve Valenzuela said.

Flames were leaping from the roof of the Old West-style plaza when firefighters arrived. Cutting through the roof and using a hand-held infrared detector that indicates hot spots, firefighters could see that the flames had spread through the attic of the building.

Supervisors ordered extra precautions because the wooden facades can prove deadly in fires, Valenzuela said. The structure, however, proved sound, Flocks said later, noting that proper fire walls also helped contain the blaze.

Seventy-five firefighters fought the stubborn blaze.

The plaza is one of the older strip malls in Newhall, owned by Gerald Heidt. Councilwoman Heidt operated a book store in the center for several years.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A firefighter checks for hot spots.

(2 -- color) A firefighter removes his oxygen mask after the flames outside the Radio Shack on Lyons Avenue were extinguished.

(3 -- color) Firefighters clean up outside the Newhall strip mall Friday after a fire damaged five stores, including Radio Shack.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News