Firefighters battle blaze at former Almond Tree Restaurant in Turlock

Firefighters in Turlock responded to a fire at the building that once housed the Almond Tree Restaurant on Tuesday morning.

The vacant building is located just off of Highway 99 on Lander Ave. in Turlock.

Firefighters were called to the scene about 11 a.m. after witnesses saw smoke coming from the building. Flames were visible in the building for at least 40 minutes.

Turlock Fire Department Division Chief Mark Gomez said all four of Turlock’s trucks were on scene and that it was too early to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities said Tuesday afternoon that the cause remains under investigation.

Firefighters from outside agencies, including Modesto, Turlock Rural and Stanislaus Consolidated, covered the city stations during the blaze.

The Almond Tree Restaurant closed last summer after being in business for more than 30 years. It was a popular stop for breakfast, dinner and drinks, with karaoke and a deejay on many evenings.

Smoke from the fire was blowing onto Highway 99, making visibility difficult. Firefighters fought the blaze for several hours, but managed to contain it to the building.

Passers-by said the building had regularly been used by squatters setting up camp since the restaurant closed.

This story was originally published February 21, 2017 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Firefighters battle blaze at former Almond Tree Restaurant in Turlock."