Community Center providing kitchen space for business destroyed by fire

By Mike Hazlip—
A business destroyed by two consecutive fires is managing to still operate by temporarily using commercial kitchen facilities inside the Citrus Heights Community Center.

In June, Elena’s Kitchen and Catering was devastated by two fires within three days at their Carmichael business, according to a report by ABC10.

City spokesman Elijah Wilbur said the business contacted the city about renting the facility and said the city is glad to have a space for Elena’s Kitchen to operate. He confirmed the kitchen is being rented out, rather than offered for free.

An employee of Elena’s Kitchen could not comment on future plans for the business and told The Sentinel that the catering company’s owners were out of the country.

Metro Fire Captain Parker Wilbourn told ABC10 the building was heavily damaged in the first fire, complicating efforts to save the structure in the second fire.

“This building was already compromised, and that’s one of the things we look at when we’re making those decisions of what we’re gonna do as far as tactics, strategies and our priorities,” Wilbourn said.

Arson investigators responded to the incident, but authorities say the two fires are unrelated.