Inside one of Pacific Palisades’ last standing malls after billionaire developer who ran against under fire mayor Karen Bass saved it from LA fire
Creepy footage has provided a glimpse into one of Pacific Palisades’ few remaining structures after the apocalyptic Los Angeles fires nearly wiped the city off the map.
Billionaire developer Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village Mall was directly in the path of the Palisades Fire, which has already destroyed 23,713 acres of prime real estate in Southern California, destroyed 5,000 buildings and killed at least eight people.
But the quick-thinking businessman, who ran against embattled Mayor Karen Bass in 2022 and is worth an estimated $5.8 billion, hired a convoy of private firefighters and water tankers to protect his mall.
Shocking video shows Monument Street, where the mall is located, cut in half.
On one side of the now deserted street is nothing but rubble, ash and rubble where multi-million dollar homes once stood, next to the relatively intact shopping center on the other side of the road.
A Starbucks directly across from Palisades Village was completely destroyed by the fire, along with most other buildings in the area.
But Caruso’s privately hired team managed to save the mall, which now resembles a ghost town amid mandatory evacuation orders for the region.
Fire crews for hire can cost between $3,000 and $10,000 per day and are usually contracted with insurance companies or the government.
Creepy footage has provided a glimpse into one of Pacific Palisades’ few remaining buildings after the apocalyptic Los Angeles fires nearly wiped the city off the map
The quick-thinking businessman, who ran against embattled Mayor Karen Bass in 2022 and is worth an estimated $5.8 billion, hired a convoy of private firefighters and water tankers to protect his mall.
The mall was spared while much of Pacific Palisades was left in ruins
Much of Pacific Palisades was reduced to rubble during the tragedy
“Our property is standing,” Mr. Caruso told police New York Times. ‘Everything around us is gone. It’s like a war zone.’
Now, National Guard members stand guard outside designer stores to prevent looting.
The businesses – including Erewhon, Saint Laurent, Reformation and Lululemon – will remain closed while the cleanup begins.
Caruso served as commissioner for the LA Department of Water and Power and was highly critical of Bass for her handling of the crisis.
“This is absolute mismanagement of the city and I’ll be very honest: we have a mayor who is out of the country and we have a city on fire,” he said the night the fires broke out.
Caruso said two of his childhood homes were destroyed in the inferno.
“This was a disaster waiting to happen and what is predictable can be prevented and who pays the price is all these people and their homes tonight.”
“It seems like we are in a third world country here.”
A shocking video shows Monument Street cut in half. On one side of the street there is nothing but rubble, ash and rubble where once stood multi-million dollar homes, juxtaposed with the relatively intact shopping center on the other side of the road
The mall was saved by privately hired firefighters and water tanks
The Palisades fire hits a liquor store in Pacific Palisades
Large parts of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood were destroyed
When the fires broke out, Bass traveled halfway around the world, traveling to Ghana as part of a presidential delegation. She had been warned of the critical fire threat before departure.
As her city faced its biggest crisis in decades, the first-term mayor faced a critical test of her leadership two years after taking office.
She has since faced calls to resign amid widespread anger over her handling of the crisis.
Caruso and his wife this week pledged $5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
“The devastation to our city and community is unthinkable,” he said in an X post.
“The colossal efforts of our Los Angeles Fire Department cannot be overstated, and lives, homes and businesses have been saved because of their continued commitment to fighting the good fight.
‘But this battle is far from over. Budget shortfalls at the Los Angeles Fire Department, leaving them under-resourced, have made the unthinkable a reality.
“Los Angeles Fire Chief Crowley and her team of firefighters and paramedics are in urgent need of funding.
The California National Guard is stationed throughout the region
Caruso (right) ran against embattled Mayor Karen Bass (left) for the job in 2022
The Palisades Fire — the largest of three fires sweeping through Los Angeles — that ignited on Jan. 7 has scorched 23,713 acres
“Today, Tina and I are pledging $5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, to be used at our discretion, so that Chief Crowley and her team can continue their heroic work in the city and greater Los Angeles area.
Four fires have burned 100,000 acres in L.A.’s most affluent neighborhoods, wiping out celebrity homes and A-list restaurant hotspots among the 12,300 buildings.
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner updated the death toll on Sunday afternoon, revealing that 24 people have now been confirmed dead as a result of the two largest fires.
But dozens more remain missing as evacuees locked out of their suburbs wait anxiously to return home and see what — if anything — remains.
As cadaver dogs are deployed to locate human remains, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna has warned that the death toll is likely to continue to rise.
“The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office and the Los Angeles County Fire Department [are] we use cadaver dogs and do grid searches,” he said.