The Region - News from May 27, 1987

A spectacular fire damaged four stores in the Fashion Island Shopping Center, but caused no injuries, Newport Beach fire officials said. The pre-dawn blaze took an hour and 40 minutes to douse. “When we got there it looked like the whole (mall) was on fire, but it turned out it was just the facade,” Fire Chief Jim Reed said. The fire broke out between Robinson’s department store and the Farmers Market in the 35,000-square-foot mall owned by the Irvine Co. Four stores were damaged, including Fanfare’s, Phillip’s, Macy Jewelry and M Jacques, Reed said. Fire officials estimated damage to the structure at $150,000 but added that damage to contents was not immediately tallied.