West Beach structure fire threatens hotel and restaurant

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Investigators are trying to find out who is responsible for an early morning fire that damaged a storage area and threatened both a hotel and a restaurant in Santa Barbara Sunday.

It happened about 5:30 a.m. in the West Beach area on the Hotel Milo property.

Flames shot up in a very large palm tree and showered the area with burning embers.

There were many other palm trees nearby, threatened by the fire adjacent on one side to buildings on the Hotel Milo property. On the other side was the original and landmark Sambo's restaurant, dating back more than 50 years.

Owner Chad Stevens said his block wall had evidence of the fire but the restaurant was spared any major damage.

Because the palm tree was over 30 feet tall and near buildings, the Santa Barbara City Fire department called out multiple engines and the ladder truck. It was extended out to shoot water into the burning tree.

The fire damaged a small storage shed and some stored hotel property. A propane tank was also located in the fire zone.

A hotel worker said it is never stored there, and believed there had been an intruder.

Investigators and Santa Barbara police searched the area for suspects over a several block area.

One trespasser was found in the jacuzzi, "warming his feet" according to a witness.

Sambos was closed at the time and was not set to open Sunday morning due to the coronavirus impacts.

Hotel Milo was open and an employee and manager were on site to assist first responders.

Investigators did not say if the fire was intentional or accidental, but called it suspicious.