Fire damages liquor store south of Modesto

A liquor store on South Ninth Street south of Modesto remains closed after a fire broke out there early Wednesday morning.

It appears the fire started between the 7-11 Liquor’s front exterior wall and an outdoor ice machine, but the cause has not yet been determined, said Ceres Battalion Chief Rich Scola.

Additional resources were called to the scene after the first firefighters arrived just after 5 a.m., for a total of 15 personnel from Ceres and Modesto.

Once the exterior fire was knocked down, crews forced entry into the closed business, where they found moderate fire and smoke.

Scola said it took about 20 minutes to get the fire under control.

The fire caused an estimated $20,000 in damage. Power had to be cut to the business and health inspectors went to the scene because of the perishable food inside the store.

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 8:39 PM with the headline "Fire damages liquor store south of Modesto."