A three-alarm fire broke out in northeast Bakersfield just before 1:00 a.m. this morning, just north of the intersection of Columbus Street and Alta Vista Drive.
The California Highway Patrol says they found a vehicle crashed into a business, on fire, which quickly spread throughout the building.
Kern County and Bakersfield firefighters battled the blaze for hours early this morning. At one point, firefighters needed to be called back due to structural security dangers concerning the roof of the building. Witnesses say the fire started with a bang.
CHP is telling us the Ford pickup truck was unoccupied at the time when it was set on fire and is reportedly stolen. According to Bakersfield Fire Department, the business is a marijuana dispensary and the cost of damage is estimated at $250,000.