Flames Rip Through Four Encinitas Businesses Housed In Iconic Building

A two-alarm fire ripped through Mozy Cafe and three other businesses early Monday, gutting the colorful iconic Leucadia building along North Coast Highway 101, and arson investigators are trying to determine what ignited the blaze.

The fire was reported shortly after midnight by nearby residents who awoke to the smell of smoke and fire officials immediately summoned more resources after seeing flames shooting through the roof. The building, on the corner of the highway and Daphne Street, also housed the Cali Life art gallery, Shatto and Sons T-shirts and Peace Pies.

“Fire crews got a call around 12:15 a.m. and when they arrived on scene — within about three minutes or so — the building was full involved, it was going through the roof,” said Encinitas acting Fire Marshal Kerri Berberet.

“It took them a while to extinguish it, trying to chase down the fire and get through some locked areas.”