Smithville community rallies behind local businesses destroyed by strip mall fire
A day after flames and smoke ravaged through a Smithville strip mall, a smattering of fallen bricks marked with ash, piles of charred wood and burnt beams now sit where five local businesses once stood.
The remnants of Monday’s blaze sat largely untouched Tuesday afternoon, blocked off by a chain link fence and yellow caution tape.
Around 24 hours after the fire that caused “total loss” for the strip mall’s businesses first sparked in Westlake Chinese Restaurant’s kitchen, the smokey smell lingered over the ruins as people snapped photos of the damage from their cars.
But with the destruction came a swath of community support for the local businesses impacted by the blaze.
Residents of Smithville have taken to social media to share their support for La Fuente Mexican Restaurant, West Lake Chinese Restaurant, H&R Block, Lakeside Smoke and Pizza Shoppe.
“The entire city supports you and we are glad your employees are safe. Our hearts go out to you during this time,” one person wrote.
“I’m so sorry to all the businesses in this strip mall,” said another.
Patricia Farley Ward, who lives near the strip mall, said she watched the fire from her front porch. Just two weeks ago, she and her grandsons ate at Pizza Shoppe, where they often frequented together and had a favorite booth.
“I could not believe what I was seeing,” she said. “What a tragedy this has been for the town of Smithville.”
Brent Ellison, a resident of Smithville, said all three restaurants in the strip mall were usually pretty busy and treated customers like family.
Ellison said he would often go to La Fuente around twice a week and has been eating there for 21 years.
“It’s a huge loss for our community,” he said.
But despite the loss, Ellison said he’s certain Smithville will bounce back from the fire.
“Were a strong community and we will be here to support them,” he said.
The positive response from the community was no surprise to Erika Winston, the executive director of the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Smithville has always been this way. Anytime there’s tragedy or anything, the Smithfield community is really good about rallying behind businesses or just people in general to help them wherever they can,” Winston said.
For Nissa True, the owner of Smithville’s Pizza Shoppe, the community support has made the whole ordeal much easier to endure.
True was in her office inside the restaurant shortly after the lunch rush Monday afternoon when a customer came in and said the Chinese restaurant a couple doors down was on fire.
At first True thought she’d pop outside for a minute to see the commotion and maybe watch the fire department fight the blaze. But her plans quickly changed as smoke began to seep in and weave around the wooden booths and stacks of pizza pans inside her restaurant, causing her to evacuate the customers and employees still inside the restaurant.
Outside, True sat on the curb and watched as the fire trucks rolled in, as the black smoke rose out of the roof and as the flames eventually engulfed the pizza joint she had owned for more than three years.
Standing there as the fire roared on and the crowd around her grew, the strong community support was already apparent. People came up to her on the curb, offering support and condolences. Even a little boy walked up to her and asked to give her a hug.
“It’s been phenomenal. It kind of put me at ease a little bit,” she said. “It’s been wonderful. Everybody is reaching out, businesses, individuals, customers, you know, everybody. So, it’s been wonderful.”
A GoFundMe has also been started in support of La Fuente and has raised more than $1,500 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Kari Shinneman, a tax specialist at H&R Block, was among those watching the scene develop on Monday after evacuating her office when smoke began flowing in through the ceiling tiles. Watching the flames engulf the building was difficult, she said, especially standing alongside the families who own Pizza Shoppe, La Fuente and the other businesses.
“It was devastating for a lot of people in so many ways, but we’re just thankful that no one was hurt and everyone was alive and walking around today,” Shinneman said.
In the day since the fire, Shinneman said the H&R Block branch has already been shown a multitude of kindness from members of the community in the wake of the devastation. H&R Block already has a new location that will open Wednesday morning thanks to the owner of the strip mall offering up a space in another building across the parking lot.
And, Shinneman said they’ve had multiple clients reach out to check in on everyone and make sure they’re all safe.
“That was really the most touching part of it,” she said.
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 4:20 PM.
