Hideout Restaurant Fire Sparks Santa Cruz Co. Outpouring

CAPITOLA, CA — An early morning fire that destroyed The Hideout restaurant in Aptos early Monday morning has drawn an outpouring of community support for the popular eatery's owners and employees. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched with the goal of raising $50,000 "to help the staff with emergency funds they may need due to lost wages. We need the funds ASAP to relieve the stress and financial hardship caused by this devastating fire," according to the GoFundMe page, which has raised nearly $12,000 at press time. "The campaign will be ongoing until The Hideout is rebuilt and has recovered."

The fire broke out around 2 a.m. Monday at 9051 Soquel Drive, and investigators say the cause does not appear to be arson. "Heat and smoke damage was evident throughout the building. Fire burned through the roof in several locations," according to the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District & Central Fire Protection District of Santa Cruz County. No injuries were reported in the fire.

Click here to donate to the The Hideout GoFundMe campaign.