Comic-Con visitors lose belongings in downtown San Diego fire

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Portillos came down from Los Angeles looking forward to Comic-Con weekend in San Diego. On Friday, they were at a rooftop concert when they saw black smoke in the distance.

“We took photos like, 'Oh, something’s on fire,' had no idea it was our place,” Lisa Portillo said.

Lisa Portillo later got a text from their Airbnb host saying their building had caught fire . It started in the kitchen of Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steakhouse. Two blocks of Broadway were closed off for hours as fire crews fought the flames. The couple rushed back to find all their belongings soaked in water.

“We were in disbelief. It was like a movie,” said Edwin Portillo. “There were no lights anywhere. It was completely dark, firefighters with flashlights, and we were looking at water everywhere.”

San Diego Fire-Rescue said no one was hurt in the fire, but more than 50 people were left without a place to stay. The Portillos believe they lost at least $15,000 worth of belongings, including tablets, laptops, and Comic-Con exclusives like a G.I. Joe figurine in pristine condition.

“It’s sad, scrambling, like, 'Where am I going to sleep?'” Lisa said.

“It was supposed to be a vacation, but it’s completely different,” Edwin said.

They were able to find a room at the Pendry. Airbnb gave them a full refund for the nights they didn’t stay and offered to cover 20% of their hotel costs. The Portillos said it’s still going to cost about four times more than their rental, but they're keeping a positive attitude.

“We went to the con. I bought a dress there; I’ll wear it tomorrow, bought some goodies,” Lisa said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the Portillos said they are never renting an Airbnb above a restaurant again.