“It could be worse,” she said. “I’m so happy and grateful it wasn’t worse.”
About 30 firefighters saw smoke pouring from the business in the 2200 block of North Commerce Parkway in Weston when they arrived shortly before 3 a.m., said Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael B. Kane.
“Firefighters were able to quickly contain the small fire which was already mostly extinguished by the business’s fire sprinkler,” he said. “The direct cause is unknown but may be related to a piece of waxing equipment.”
Ruiz said all the equipment is usually unplugged at the end of the day, but she thinks one of the waxing pots was overlooked.
“I’m thinking someone forgot,” she said. “It was turned on because they didn’t unplug it.”
The fire alarm and fire suppression system activated, reducing fire damage to the building and adjacent businesses, Kane said.
“Without proper fire protection, this fire could have grown considerably and quickly devastated the strip mall,” he said.
There were no reported injuries and damage to the adjacent businesses was minor.
Ruiz and husband Carlos Arango were boarding up some glass doors and cleaning up the water inside the business before dawn. She expects to be reopen in a couple of days.
“I’m very optimistic and I know I can push to get it done,” she said.
