Huge fire torches Santa Clara strip mall

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KTVU) - A huge fire torched a Santa Clara strip mall early Wednesday morning.

The fire was first reported just before 3 a.m. at the Rancho shopping center located on El Camino Real east of Lawrence Expressway.

When crews arrived on scene, flames could be seen shooting 20 feet in the air.

The strip mall contains about a dozen businesses. Seven of them appeared to have been destroyed, while firefighters were trying to save the remaining stores.

The businesses at this mall, included a coffe shop, a hair salon and a boutique.

60 firefighters from several different agencies responded and battled the blaze for over four hours before gaining containment.

Officials at the scene hope to finally contain the blaze by 6:30a.m.

The fire fight began inside, but became too dangerous when the roof started to collapse.

The old structure of the building made it difficult for crews to access the blaze.

The fire nearly completed destroyed at least two businesses in the strip mall: an Indian restaurant called Radhe Chaat and a bakery called Seoul Rice Cake Bakery Santa Clara.

KTVU's Janine De La Vega reports that several other businesses appear to have been damaged in the blaze.

Investigators say at this point the blaze does not appear to be suspicious, but the cause has not yet been determined.