EL MONTE – An electrical fire tore through an El Monte clothing store Saturday, causing an estimated $600,000 worth of damage to the building and the merchandise stored inside, authorities said.
The fire was reported at 7:53 p.m.at All Clothing 5.99, 10942 Valley Mall, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze in just under 30 minutes, Capt. Art Jimenez said, adding that the fire could have been much worse had it not been reported early on.
The fire caused about $100,000 worth of damage to the store,  and completely destroyed the store’s inventory of about half a million dollars worth of clothing, the captain said.
It was believed to have been sparked by a malfunctioning overhead light inside the store, he said.
The store was closed when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported, officials said.