Just days after a Deep Ellum business was hit by a devastating flood last week in the Dallas area, a fire ripped through the shop, causing heavy damage to the building and contents.
Ellum Electric owner Airto Castaneda-Cudney told NBC DFW that he believes the cause of the fire may have been from a battery or an appliance that had been affected by the several inches of water damage in the building. The company sells and services electronic scooters.
“Fortunately, nobody was harmed, but we lost just about everything,” Cudney said in a post for a fundraiser he created to help rebuild his company. He said the fire occurred during flood restoration efforts at the business.
“We don’t know the full extent of the damages at this moment, but it’s looking pretty devastating,” he said.
The community has begun rallying around the business, donating nearly $2,600 over the last four days toward the $40,000 goal set through the online fundraiser.
“We’re looking for as much assistance as possible,” Cudney wrote. “Please keep us in your hearts.”
Prior to the fire, Cudney said in an interview that his business lost several hundred dollars worth of merchandise and parts due to four inches of rain that seeped into the shop. He estimated clean-up costs would run about $2,000. A few days later, his business was gone due to the fire.
Cudney joins other businesses, residents, and community organizations who are left picking up the pieces after historic flooding caused an estimated $6 billion worth of damages in Dallas and surrounding counties, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Days after the flooding, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for 23 counties. The move will help allocate more funding and other resources to areas as they recover from the flooding disaster.
In a press release following the disaster declaration, Abbott directed those impacted by the flooding to file insurance claims as well as complete the state’s self-reporting survey to aid the government in assessing the need for disaster assistance.
Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring several storm developments, including one that could bring more rain to Texas.
Forecasters are keeping their eyes on an area in the western Caribbean that has the potential to develop into a storm, according to a report by CNN. The article notes the storm only has a 20% chance of developing, but even if the system fails to gain momentum, it will result in additional rain in the Texas area.