The largest fire in San Jose history destroyed an entire city block of under-construction mixed-use commercial and residential units as well as a number of nearby apartments and townhouses. However, police and fire investigators still have not found evidence pointing to an accident or arson.
A team of five and fifteen police investigators has been seeking the cause of the fire since it raged through the Santana Row complex on Aug. 19. The group has determined that the fire began in a 100-sf section in the northwest corner of a six-acre building.
A spokesman for the fire department says that investigators originally thought that the fire was accidental but is now pursuing the possibility of arson. The investigators are interviewing witnesses and reviewing videotaped footage of the fire for clues.
Meanwhile, the Small Business Administration last week declared Santa Clara County a disaster area because of the fire and fire victims are now eligible for low-interest federal loans.
"SBA loan funds are available now and can be used to start the rebuilding process right away. These loans may be used to cover shortfalls from insurance settlements or other compensation,'' SBA Administrator Hector Barreto says.
Loans are available to homeowners and renters in addition to businesses, according to administration spokesman Rick Jenkins. "The disaster loan program is available not just for small businesses but for all businesses, for homeowners and for renters,'' Jenkins says.
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