'You don't have to pay, just run': Ballard fire caused $3 million in damage, officials say

The roof of the business complex on the 2300 block of NW Market Street was burnt and completely collapsed after the three-alarm fire that destroyed five businesses Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. The roof of the business complex on the 2300 block of NW Market Street was burnt and completely collapsed after the three-alarm fire that destroyed five businesses Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close 'You don't have to pay, just run': Ballard fire caused $3 million in damage, officials say 1 / 38 Back to Gallery

People and businesses were rallying behind five businesses that were engulfed in a major blaze Monday in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood that was most likely caused by an overheated electrical system, according to fire officials.

The fire that brought down the roof of a building on the corner of Northwest Market Street and 24th Avenue Northwest caused an estimated $3 million in damage, Seattle Fire officials said in a news release. About 150 -- or 65% of Seattle's -- on duty firefighters and fire personnel were on the scene Monday.

The investigation into the cause was completed by noon Tuesday and Seattle Fire said it remained undetermined but was "most likely started from overheated electrical in the void space between the ceiling and roof."

RELATED: Fire in Ballard under control; firefighter injured, building destroyed

After Duke Nguyen, Pho Big Bowl's owner, called 911 Monday just after noon and reported smoke inside and outside of his restaurant he started telling customers -- about 15 of them -- and employees to get out. He knew something was wrong when he saw smoke inside, turned on the fans and more smoke came in.

"I said, 'please just get out of here, we've got fire going on in the next building and I don't want anything to happen to my customers, so please get out of here,'" Nguyen said.

Nguyen said he "forgot to tell customers not to pay," and after he told employees to turn off the gas and run out, he saw customers up front trying to pay.

"The customers keep paying, I just thought that was so funny. You don't have to pay, just run," Nguyen said.

Pho Big Bowl wasn't totally destroyed. Pieces of the ceiling were scattered across the floor, but next to the window was an abandoned meal that could have looked to passersby like pho for two, waiting to be bussed -- if it weren't for the scorched walls, collapsed roof and blown out windows of the rest of the building.

Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM Bowls of pho are left unfinished on a table a day after diners were...

Insurance will help Nguyen reopen eventually he said, he renews it every year. But with the amount of damage done to the building, he's worried about the future of his restaurant for multiple reasons.

"They could fix (the roof) and I don't trust it," Nguyen said while talking about reopening. "Everything has to be safe. I don't want to reopen until the roof has a quality inspection."

But he's also worried about losing his customers and employees in the interim.

"People go somewhere else every day for a year and think, 'I like this better than Big Bowl,'" Nguyen said. "If we're closed two, maybe three weeks, I can get my customers back. But I don't know after three or six months."

Four businesses -- Kitchen N Things, La Isla, Supercuts and Octo Designs Jewelers sustained such heavy fire damage that they are a "total loss." Smoke and water damaged Octo Designs' neighbor, Pho Big Bowl, but it was largely protected thanks to a firewall between the jewelry shop and the Vietnamese restaurant.

The fire started a few minutes after noon Monday. Firefighters initially thought the smoke was coming from Supercuts, but then realized the attic was filled with smoke across the whole building, said Kristin Tinsley, spokeswoman for the Seattle Fire Department.

Firefighters cut holes in the roof, trying to release the smoke and toxic gases building up inside. Eventually they had to switch to defensive operations, which meant not sending units in and spraying water from above, Tinsley said.

The fire was under control some time after 3 p.m. Monday.

Crews stayed on the scene through Monday night and Tuesday morning to keep hot spots under control.

A GoFundMe, started by the Ballard Alliance, raised over $23,000 by Tuesday afternoon and had its original goal of $25,000 raised to $50,000 "due to the overwhelming community support - and as the extent of damage is being understood."

As of 3 p.m., the GoFundMe had 267 donors. Several of those were nearby businesses including Market Street Shoes, Ballard Reuse, Skål Beer Hall, Horseshoe Boutique, Baraka Gemstones and Jewelry, White Lotus LLC, and Venue.

Ballard Alliance kicked off the fundraising with $5,000 and a message from Ballard Alliance Executive Director Mike Stewart: "While we are relieved that no one was seriously injured in this devastating fire, local small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhood and the loss is felt by the entire Ballard community."

SeattlePI reporter Alex Halverson can be reached at alex.halverson@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexHalversonPI. Find more from Alex here.