Ridgecrest Earthquake

Fire, damage in aftermath of Ridgecrest earthquake: VIDEO

Thursday, July 4, 2019
Surveillance video shows the moment a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck at the Pita Fresh restaurant in Ridgecrest, California.
RIDGECREST, Calif. -- Residents and businesses in Ridgecrest are cleaning up after a preliminary-magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Thursday morning in the Mojave Desert's Searles Valley.

At Ledesma Chiropractic, surveillance video showed picture frames and a rack of clothing shaking as the quake struck. Photos of the aftermath showed objects that had been knocked to the ground around the office.

Quake shaking, aftermath in Ridgecrest, Calif.


A similar scene unfolded at the Pita Fresh restaurant in Ridgecrest. Footage from several different surveillance cameras in the building showed an employee running for cover as lights and other fixtures shook violently and supplies fell from shelves in the back-of-house area.

House fire after earthquake in Ridgecrest, California

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"It almost gave me a heart attack," said Cora Burke, a waitress at Midway Cafe in Ridgecrest, a town of 28,000 people. "It's just a rolling feeling inside the building, inside the cafe and all of a sudden everything started falling off the shelf, glasses, the refrigerator and everything in the small refrigerator fell over."

Video posted online of Eastridge Market liquor store in Ridgecrest showed the aisles filled with broken wine and liquor bottles, knocked down boxes and other groceries strewn on the floor. Victor Abdullatif, whose father owns the liquor store, estimates the business lost approximately $100,000 in inventory and does not have insurance to cover recovery costs. He has started a GoFundMe to offset recovery costs.

Liquor store trashed by Ridgecrest earthquake


Ridgecrest Mayor Peggy Breeden says firefighters are working to put out five fires in the area following an earthquake but that she didn't know if any injuries have been reported. Breeden says the local senior center was holding a Fourth of July event when the quake hit. She says everyone made it out shaken up but without injuries.



People throughout Southern and Central California reported feeling the powerful quake, whose epicenter was located about 62 miles north-northwest of Barstow.
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There were no immediate reports of injuries.

An earthquake-damaged street is seen Saturday, July 6, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
Rose Ann Austin, top left, walks past an earthquake-damaged brick fence on her family's property Saturday, July 6, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
Eugene Johnson, right, looks at the chimney collapsed by an earthquake Saturday, July 6, 2019, at his home in Trona, Calif.AP
A crack is seen in a gas station's driveway in the aftermath of an earthquake Saturday, July 6, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
Eugene Johnson looks at damage inside a guest room of his house in the aftermath of an earthquake Saturday, July 6, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
An employee walks past broken bottles scattered on the floor in Eastridge Market, following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck nearby, on July 6, 2019 in Ridgecrest.Creative Content
An employee works at the cash register near broken bottles scattered on the floor, following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck nearby, on July 6, 2019 in Ridgecrest.Creative Content
An employee carries items for a customer past broken bottles scattered on the floor, following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck nearby, on July 6, 2019 in Ridgecrest.Creative Content
An employee stands at the register as broken bottles are scattered on the floor in Eastridge Market on July 6, 2019, in Ridgecrest, California.Creative Content
Firefighters work to put out a house fire, the morning after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck in the area, on July 6, 2019, in Ridgecrest, California.Creative Content
The Hope family, afraid to sleep inside, spends the night outdoors Saturday, July 6, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
A fireman looks over a home Saturday, July 6, 2019, that burned after an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Items are scattered around a kitchen Saturday, July 6, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
A worker steps over merchandise that is scattered on the floor of an Albertson's grocery store Saturday, July 6, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Merchandise is scattered on the floor of an Albertson's grocery store Saturday, July 6, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Merchandise is scattered on the floor of an Albertson's grocery store Saturday, July 6, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Players and staff leave the court after an earthquake during an NBA summer league basketball game between the New York Knicks and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, July 5, 2019,AP
A CHP photo shows conditions on SR-178 through the Kern River Canyon after rock slides on July 5, 2019.AP
Food that fell from the shelves litters the floor of an aisle at a Walmart following an earthquake in Yucca Valley, Calif., on Friday, July 5, 2019.AP
In this photo provided by Adam Graehl emergency responders fight a fire in Ridgecrest, Calif., Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
Shattered glass lies on the floor at a vacant business after an earthquake, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
Merchandise lies on the floor at a Family Dollar store seen through a window after an earthquake Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
In this photo provided by Adam Graehl shows merchandise line the floor at the Stater Bros. on China Lake Blvd., in Ridgecrest, Calif., Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
This Thursday, July 4, 2019 photo provided by Richard Wagner shows hundreds of books that have tumbled off shelves at the Kern County Branch Library in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
In this photo provided by Adam Graehl shows merchandise line the floor at the Stater Bros. on China Lake Blvd., in Ridgecrest, Calif., Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
This Thursday, July 4, 2019 photo provided by Richard Wagner shows hundreds of books that have tumbled off shelves at the Kern County Branch Library in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
This Thursday, July 4, 2019 photo provided by Richard Wagner shows hundreds of books that have tumbled off shelves at the Kern County Branch Library in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
In this photo provided by Adam Graehl shows merchandise line the floor at the Stater Bros. on China Lake Blvd., in Ridgecrest, Calif., Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
A damaged motorhome is seen red-taped after an earthquake, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Pipes are damaged from an earthquake, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
Utility poles are damaged from an earthquake, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
A road is damaged from an earthquake Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Trona, Calif.AP
A motorcyclist rides over a temporarily repaired part of damage on Highway 178 in Ridgecrest, Calif., following an earthquake in the area Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
This photo shows damage on Highway 178 in Ridgecrest, Calif., following an earthquake in the area Thursday, July 4, 2019.AP
An eyewitness photo shows damage to a Ridgecrest-area roadway after Thursday morning's earthquake.Creative Content
In this image taken from video provided by Ben Hood, a firefighter works to extinguish a fire, Thursday, July 4, 2019, following an earthquake in Ridgecrest, Calif.AP
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content
Photos show the aftermath of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019.Creative Content


The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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