A fire broke out at West Side eatery Sergio’s Molino around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, destroying the building and taking the life of the owner, KENS 5 reports.
Sergio Salcedo, 65, was identified Sunday by family and coworkers as the man found inside the building whom firefighters struggled to save.
According to the station, the San Antonio Fire Department tried to enter the building, but heavy heat forced them out in five minutes. First responders found Salcedo unresponsive after they finally managed to get the fire under control.
Ernest Palma, a longtime employee of the Molino, told KENS that Salcedo lived with his wife in an addition at the back of the restaurant.
“[Salcedo] could’ve lived anywhere, but he chose to live here in his Molino,” Palma told the station. “And so, you know, now he’s gone. And I just miss him.”
The restaurant was destroyed by the blaze, leaving Palma and the rest of Salcedo’s family to figure out what’s next. In the meantime, Palma says he wants the community to remember the life of a hard-working man.
“Remember Sergio, remember his goodness and may God rest his soul,” Palma told KENS.
The community plans to hold a Monday 7 p.m. vigil for Salcedo at the site of the restaurant, 641 Ruiz St.
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This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 10, 2021.
