Investigators have determined the cause of a fire that caused more than 1 million dollars in damage to the Anaheim White House restaurant last Saturday was accidental.
Almost a week ago, the fire ripped through the second floor of the building and the patio, and flames shot through the roof before firefighters got the blaze under control in about 30 minutes early Saturday morning, fire officials said.
Investigators from Anaheim Fire and Rescue said they determined the fire was "accidental in nature and caused by an electrical problem," Anaheim Fire and Rescue said in a statement Thursday. "Insurance investigators have concurred regarding the cause of the fire."
The Anaheim White House Restaurant is a high-end, privately owned Italian steak house and seafood restaurant located in the heart of Orange County, according to its website. It is a landmark in Anaheim that has served the Orange County area for decades.
Owner Bruno Serato has been head chef of the Anaheim mainstay for 30 years. He was devastated to hear about the news of the fire, but for him, the loss affected more than just the restaurant.
Serato has given so much to others, feeding thousands of needy children for free every day through his foundation, Caterina's Club. Despite his sadness over the loss, he was determined to keep feeding them.
He pressed on last Thursday, cooking and feeding children at the Highway 39 Event Center.
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Other restaurants have also stepped up to hire his employees who will be out of work until the White House can be rebuilt.
"I'm thankful from bottom of my heart. The love has been pouring like crazy," Serato said.
If you would like to donate to a GoFundMe account set up to help the Anaheim White House, you may do so here. Note that GoFundMe deducts 7.9 percent of all funds raised in the form of platform and payment processing charges.
