Business owners say investigators suspect arson in Palm Springs fire

New details have emerged on a fire that damaged a Trio Restaurant and Shag Art Gallery in Palm Springs. According to one of the business owners, the cause could be arson.

Generators are the only power source for Trio and Shag. A fire Monday morning melted a major electrical panel which could take weeks to replace.

Trio restaurant closed until possibly Labor Day after fire

Inside Shag, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of prints in the gallery’s back room were destroyed.

The owner, Jay Nailor, said investigators are looking at arson as the cause of the fire, which burned the building and a pickup truck.

Suspicious fire damages two Palm Springs businesses

“The truck had been stolen, and after talking to another fire inspector today, they said the fire was in three different places. The fire in the truck was independent and did not actually spread to the building. It seems that there was two fires set in the corner, it seems like,” Nailor said.

Though arson could be the cause, Nailor doesn’t believe either the art gallery or restaurant were intentionally targeted.

“I’m sure there is nobody going after us in particular. Their [fire investigators] best guess is that whomever had the truck, the truck was reported stolen, so they tried to cover up their evidence,” Nailor said.

Other business owners on the block are surprised someone would spark a blaze.

“That is not a good thing for our neighborhood, and hopefully they take care of that person,” said Victoria Routh, owner of Victoria’s Attic Antiques and Collectibles.

“I have always felt safe in the uptown area. We have seen more of a presence from homeless recently, but for the most part it is a very safe neighborhood,” said Willie Rhine, co-owner of 849 Restaurant.

With the fire destroying the back room of Shag, Nailor is moving the gallery into the two units next door, which will offer much more space to sell art. Both businesses plan to be back open by Labor Day weekend.

Investigators with the Palm Springs Fire Department would not comment on the investigation only saying the fire was suspicious.

JOE GALLI IS ON FACEBOOK AND ON TWITTER @JOEGALLINEWS