Three businesses, two dozen workers affected by destructive Penngrove fire

The floor of Passanisi’s Home and Garden shop on Main Street in Penngrove was covered Friday by a jumbled mess of charred timbers. The bright blue sky shone through the attic and roof, burned away by a fire Thursday that shuttered three businesses in the same historic building and displaced two dozen employees.

At another of the affected businesses, Superburger, a sooty film coated the tables and counter where baskets of day-old chicken wings sat in the same place that customers left them in a hasty departure when flames broke out in the building, which dates to 1882.

Penngrove Market was the other business that remained closed Friday afternoon as building inspectors assessed damage to the structure.

The flames were sparked by discarded smoking material that missed or burned through an ash can, said Rancho Adobe Fire Battalion Chief Herb Wandel. Financial losses still were being calculated.

The fire began on wood steps at the rear of Passanisi’s and climbed the wall into the attic space shared by all the tenants.

About 24 hours after the fire began, the stink of smoke still hung in the air Friday and shop owners gathered to consider the futures of their businesses.

“The human tragedy is the number of people who no longer have an income,” building owner Martin Sessi said. “The community tragedy is that people can’t shop here any longer. It’s a small community and everyone comes here.”

It’s unknown how long the two dozen employees from Superburger, the market and the garden shop will be without jobs.

County code enforcement officers closed Passanisi’s until further notice, but said Superburger and Penngrove Market may be able to reopen relatively soon, after architectural and electrical inspectors deem them safe.

“They told me I could get my stuff out,” Vince Passanisi said. “But I don’t think it’s going to be open any time soon. I don’t even have a ceiling in my place.”

The fire was reported quickly and employees and customers escaped unharmed, but flames already had reached the shared attic.

Firefighters responded before the official call went out because someone had noticed all the smoke, Wandel said. Two Rancho engines were at the closest fire station and were able to rapidly attack the blaze.

The building fronts Main Street along Petaluma Hill Road, a popular commuter route, and firefighting efforts snarled evening traffic briefly.

“For something like this, we set up to go big,” Wandel said. “It worked out well for everyone except the commuters because we had to block the road.”

Tarun Gaur, owner of Penngrove Market, voiced more concerns about his employees than the building.

“I have insurance, but what do they have?” he said. “We’re not in an economy where you can go out and get another job. … We don’t know how long it could be, a week, a month, a year.”

A steady stream of community members and customers stopped by Friday, some unaware of the fire and others who came to lend support to the owners.

Customers Frank Gildner, a Penngrove resident since 1977, and Marlina Eckel looked inside the closed shops.

“Look at those beers on the table,” Eckel said, peering through the glass front of Superburger. “The abandoned burgers. It’s like it’s frozen in time.”

Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt spoke with Sessi about expediting the permitting process to help rehabilitate the structure. The two men joked about maybe being open for the Fourth of July parade, an economic boon for all three businesses and meeting point for residents.

“It’s a goal,” Sessi said.

“You’re talking about a lot of people whose livelihood depends on this place,” Rabbitt said. “These are the things you put a priority on.”

You can reach Lori A. Carter at 521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.