ATF looking into fire at Cisco’s

Ventura County Fire Department officials haven’t yet determined a cause for the March 9 fire that destroyed Cisco’s restaurant, a popular Westlake Village eatery in the 900 block of S. Westlake Boulevard.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is currently investigating the fire to determine if it was a politically motivated act of arson against the restaurant’s owner, former T.O. Mayor Bob Wilson.

The ATF officials said no details were available because the investigation is incomplete.

Fire officials said lab analysis for a blaze of this nature can take up to three months to process.

No one was injured in the early morning fire.

Wilson said he feels authorities have given "110 percent" to their investigation.

Fins Seafood Grill, which is directly across Westlake Boulevard from Cisco’s, was damaged by an early morning fire on April 5.

Investigators said the two fires are unrelated.

Christy Pafford, operations manager for Fins, said the fire started around 1 a.m. and was the result of human error. No one was injured.

The fire was confined primarily to the kitchen, but because of smoke and water damage, the owners had to completely remodel the interior of the restaurant.

Fins is scheduled to reopen June 1, and the owners plan to host a grand reopening party later next month.

––Daniel Wolowicz