This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
A fire that broke out at the landmark Anaheim White House Restaurant last week was accidental, fire officials said Thursday.
Investigators conclusively determined the Feb. 4 fire was caused by an electrical problem, according to a press release from Anaheim Fire & Rescue. The blaze, which was reported around 4:18 a.m., wrought more than $1 million in damages to the building’s structure and contents, firefighters said.
The high-end Italian steakhouse, located in the 800 block of South Anaheim Boulevard, was housed in a structure built in 1909 and its owner, Sir Bruno Serato, used its kitchen to feed 2,000 underprivileged Southern California children each night, according to a statement.
It took as many as 60 firefighters from four departments to fully control the fire, which took about 30 minutes, although officials said they continued fighting hot spots for several more hours.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help rebuild the restaurant. Serato has insurance, but said it will not adequately cover the rebuild nor help his employees.
