Family asks for community support to rebuild business destroyed by fire in Otay Mesa

Aug. 2--OTAY MESA -- In a matter of hours, an immigrant family lost part of what has taken them

25 years to build.

Francisco Ramírez, owner of Atlas Wood Products in Otay Mesa, never imagined that the flames he saw late Thursday morning would reach his property within hours -- flames that ended up consuming almost his entire inventory of wooden pallets.

The fire, dubbed the Caliente fire, consumed nearly 500 acres of brush and destroyed the stock of two family-owned pallet businesses, the one owned by Ramirez and another that belongs to his sister and brother-in-law. By Friday afternoon, authorities with Cal Fire San Diego tweeted that the blaze remained at 490 acres and was about 60 percent contained.

Not even half an hour had passed on Thursday when Ramirez, his family and employees

were ordered to evacuate the site. They took the computers and some tools, even tried to save some pallets as they left the site.

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When they returned later, much of the inventory had been reduced to ashes and rubble.

On Friday, firefighters were working to finish inspecting the area. The burning smell lingered in the air.

"Today we face reality, it's more than we thought could happen," Ramirez said in Spanish.

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Since early Friday morning, Ramirez and his family members have received expressions of support from friends, suppliers and some of their clients.

There were those who brought them doughnuts for breakfast, and offered to help with the cleaning, but authorities have asked them to refrain from cleaning at least until Sunday.

"For 25 years we've built a family of people who depend on this business, so that's something that motivates us to immediately want to get back to work," Ramírez said.

In total, an estimated of 5 acres of stored wood were lost.

Ramirez's brother-in-law, Saúl Moreno -- co-owner of Moreno Pallets -- still can't believe what happened. Both families emigrated to the United States from Sinaloa and Nayarit in Mexico, and started the businesses 25 years ago in Fontana, Calif.

They started the pallet businesses in Otay Mesa in 2007, and the majority of their clients are in the San Diego-Baja California region.

"It's all gone," he said.

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Given the material they handle, Moreno said, the family

took measures every day to prevent accidents. Before leaving every afternoon, there were employees

who checked the cables or the plugs on the property, and there were fire extinguishers in every place as required by law.

This time, the fire started a few miles away from the pallet businesses -- near Caliente Avenue.

"(I feel) sadness. These are things that happen, but I have faith that we are going to get ahead," he said. "Now all we have to do is start all over again."

His

daughter, Evelyn Moreno, opened a GoFundMe campaign calling for community support to rebuild both businesses on which about 30 employees depend.

While both had insurance, it doesn't cover certain materials such as wood, they explained. The funds raised will be used to cover those losses, as well as other legal costs that may arise, according to the website.

As of Friday afternoon, a little more than $4,000 had been raised.

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