Crews are investigating the cause of a fire that gutted a floral supplies shop just south of downtown Morgan Hill Tuesday morning.
The Morgan Hill Fire Department arrived at Flower Cottage, 16815 Monterey Road, about 8:30 a.m. in response to calls reporting a structure fire, according to Battalion Chief Jim Crawford.
When the first firefighters arrived, smoke was emanating from the entire building, but mostly from the rear of the structure, Crawford said. Some of the shop’s supplies were stored in the rear of the building, and those supplies were on fire by the time firefighters arrived.
Crawford said crews were able to contain the blaze within about 25 minutes, and kept the flames from spreading to nearby houses and businesses, which include a bike shop.
The flower shop was not open for business at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Flower Cottage owners Dave and Pat Samples, who were standing outside the burned shop while fire crews cleaned up and continued the investigation, said they don’t know exactly how bad the damage was. But they were told by City building staff that the damages resulting from the fire immediately required the building to be “red-tagged,” meaning it is unsafe for business, housing or any type of routine entry until it is repaired.
Pat Samples said the building is between 1,200 and 1,500 square feet.
Flower Cottage has been in the Samples’ family for 37 years, at the same location, Dave Samples said.
Dave Samples said he was alerted to the blaze by phone calls from people on the scene. An employee at the Flower Cottage said he showed up for work about 9 a.m., his normal starting time, and saw the fire department and police on the scene.
Crews from Morgan Hill Fire Department, South County Fire District, Gilroy Fire Department, San Jose Fire Department and Morgan Hill police assisted with the response to the blaze, which closed southbound lanes on Monterey Road to all vehicle traffic for a couple hours Tuesday morning.
