By Mary O’KEEFE

On Wednesday, Glendale Fire Dept. responded to the 3600 block of Ocean View Boulevard concerning smoke coming from the lower floor of the structure.

Andre Ordubegian, president of the Montrose Shopping Park Association and owner of Copy Network which is located on the upper floor of the complex, said he smelled smoke.

“At first I couldn’t tell where it was coming from,” he said.

He then noticed smoke near the staircase just north of his store. He called Glendale fire, who found a small fire inside the wall that led down to the lower level of the complex.

GFD broke open the wall to extinguish the fire.

Ordubegian said he was glad he called the fire department when he did.

“It could have been so much worse,” he said.

It appeared the fire may have been started by a cigarette being flicked over the side of the stairwell. A witness in the area said it is common practice for employees from nearby businesses to take breaks in the area and smoke cigarettes. Several discarded cigarettes were found at the bottom of the stairs.

  Mary Okeefe