Fire rips through Queens strip mall

Store owners arrived Sunday to survey the damage, and they were very distraught.

As the sun came out, stores were being boarded up. Eight stores were destroyed.

Firefighters say the fire broke out around 1 a.m. The flames were so hot, it took dozens of firefighters to get it under control.

Included in the destroyed stores were two banks, two restaurants and a GNC.

All the businesses were closed at the time of the blaze, so there were no injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

---
STORY BY: Eyewitness News reporter Thalia Patillo
WEB PRODUCED BY: Scott Curkin

----
Click here for New York and Tri-State News