The stubborn fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. in the 300 block of Garvey Avenue, according to the Monterey Park Fire Department, and burned for more than three hours before being completely extinguished.
A pair of firefighters sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment.
The fire caused a partial collapse of the single-story structure and a power outage that temporarily affected 1,759 customers in the area.
Ten businesses were destroyed by the flames, whose intensity initially forced firefighters to assume a defensive position.
After the collapse, "we pulled all personnel out and we attacked it from the outside," fire Capt. Matt Hallock said.
The evacuation order was lifted after 5:30 a.m. No residents were reported injured.
BREAKING: 40 ppl evacuated from #montereypark apt bldg during 4-alarm #fire at Garvey Ave strip mall. 2 firefighters hurt. Updates on @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/vMJhKQFEEm
— Chelsea Edwards (@abc7chelsea) December 15, 2016
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Garvey was closed between Russell and Alhambra avenues as a cleanup operation and investigation got underway.
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