Crews battled an early morning fire at the vacant former Bobby Salazar’s restaurant in Central Fresno.<\/p>\n
New helmet camera video from the Fresno Fire Department shows crews working inside the building at Blackstone and Michigan avenues shortly after the fire began just after 12:30 a.m. Friday.<\/p>\n
Flames were concentrated on the north side of the structure, where part of the building appeared to have collapsed.<\/p>\n
Video captures firefighters entering the smoke-filled structure as flames shot from the back of the building.<\/p>\n
The Fresno Fire Department said crews attacked the fire from both the roof and the ground.<\/p>\n
No one was found inside the boarded-up building, and firefighters said the power had already been shut off.<\/p>\n
Fire crews responded to an early morning blaze at the former Bobby Salazar’s restaurant in central Fresno.<\/p>\n
Firefighters faced safety concerns while battling the blaze. Crews were forced to retreat at one point to assess the building’s stability and monitor nearby utility lines.<\/p>\n
“The location of the building here was actually threatening the power lines, it did damage the power pole. So there was concern that those powerlines could be compromised,” said Josh Sellers of the Fresno Fire Department.<\/p>\n
PG&E crews were seen at the site later Friday morning.<\/p>\n
This is not the first time the location has been involved in a fire investigation. In 2024, investigators said the fire at the site was an arson after burned gas cans were found in the debris.<\/p>\n
Restaurant owner Bobby Salazar is currently facing two arson-related felony charges and firearms charges. He is accused of paying the president of a motorcycle club to start that fire.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Bobby Salazar and two others indicted on felony charges<\/a><\/p>\n When approached by Action News in September outside federal court, Salazar said, “I’m innocent.”<\/p>\n Crews were able to bring Friday’s fire under control relatively quickly and cleared the scene within a few hours. Investigators are now working to determine what caused the latest fire.<\/p>\n Action News tried to speak with the restaurant owner but were told he was on a conference call. A manager for the restaurant also declined to comment.<\/p>\n For news updates, follow Ana Torrea on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n For news updates, follow Danyelle Burke North on Instagram<\/a> and TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n