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Early morning blaze engulfs South Boston seafood businesses

E-mail|Link|Comments () July 11, 2009 01:06 PM

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

By Nandini Jayakrishna, Globe Correspondent

A massive fire destroyed a seafood warehouse in South Boston early this morning, leaving behind charred walls, bent and blackened metal beams, and the acrid smell of burnt plastic.

Firefighters responded at about 1:15 a.m.to 400 Dorchester Ave., which housed two businesses -- a small seafood restaurant, retail and wholesale store called World Seafood Processing and a warehouse for the seafood wholesale and retail company Atlantic Sea Pride Inc., said Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Boston Fire Department.

No injuries or fatalities were reported, MacDonald said. Damage was assessed to be about $2 million, he said.The fire is still under investigation, he said, and its cause is unknown.

Fire trucks, firefighters and policemen were still on site late this morning.

The fire broke out in the rear of the building in the warehouse occupied by Atlantic Sea Pride and rolled across the roof to the front. It took about 120 firefighters and more than three hours to put it out completely, MacDonald said.

Visibly shaken, Thomas L. Exarchos, whose family owns the building and operates the restaurant and stores, was on site this morning, surveying the damage and talking to firefighters and health inspectors.

"It's unbelievable. I still think I'm asleep," he said. "This is where we make our livelihood. It's a big loss."