‘Heartbreaking;’ Multiple businesses damaged after fire in Riverside

RIVERSIDE — Multiple businesses were damaged after a fire broke out in Riverside Sunday morning.

>> PHOTOS: Firefighters battle fire at Dollar General in Riverside

Firefighters were dispatched just after 5 a.m. to the 5500 block of Airway Road on reports of a structure fire.

Riverside Fire Chief Mark Miller said police were dispatched to the Dollar General on the report of a burglar alarm and advised that there was a working fire with smoke pushing out of the front and the rear of the building.

At least two other businesses were damaged in the fire, including Las Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill and Pita N More.

Both restaurants took to Facebook calling the fire “heartbreaking.”

“It’s heartbreaking to see our restaurant get damaged,” Las Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill said. “There’s been a fire going on since early this morning in the shopping plaza we’re located. Please keep us in your thoughts.”

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As reported on Sunday on News Center 7 at 11, Katie Inman told Malik Patterson that it’s hard to see the store destroyed

“This store was probably the first place I shopped when I got to Dayton,” she said. “It’s crazy to believe. They just remodeled the store, and were in here just yesterday (Saturday).”

The Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce wrote Sunday on its Facebook page that the Dollar General is “completely destroyed.”

“Pita n More has extensive damage and not sure what the future will hold,” they said. “Las Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill was very fortunate to only have smoke and water damage. We will let you know when they can open up for business again.”

“I work on the base and we come down and we do the Mexican restaurant and Pita n More on a rotation with work,” said Inman. “It’s definitely sad to see.”

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Patterson spoke with Dollar General workers and they told him the last thing firefighters pulled out of the building was a safe before they boarded up the store.

Riverside Fire Chief Mark Miller said the store’s roof design is why the flames spread so quickly.

“It’s massive,” he said. “Not only was it a wood roof but there was an older roof. And below that, there was a dropped ceiling. So, we had three layers that crews had to get through.”

Huber Heights, Butler Township, and Beavercreek firefighters assisted in fighting the fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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Airway Road Fire (Malik Patterson)

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Airway Road Fire (Malik Patterson)

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