in Fire, Santa Clarita Latest News August 24, 2026 – 6:49 am 0 4,442 Views 
Around 2:55 a.m. Monday, firefighters received reports of a fire at the Newhall Refinery in the 24200 block of Main Street in Newhall, according to officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The fire quickly spread to several businesses, prompting a third-alarm response from firefighters, bringing in multiple units to battle the flames.
As of 6:35 a.m. Monday, businesses impacted by the fire include THE MAIN, Newhall Refinery, Gary’s Auto Collision Center, Care Tucker Style House and El Trocadero Kitchen and Grill.
“Old Town Newhall is the root of our City’s history. I am sorry to lose these historic buildings. While we feel the loss, we also look to our future to support the people who have always worked toward making this a special place in our community. We will ensure that the history of this treasured area continues to be celebrated, and the City will do everything we can to bring back what we have lost,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste. “We are grateful that the beloved Canyon Theatre Guild – in its beautiful historic brick building was left intact – so theatre can continue to thrive on Main Street.”
“Our Fire Department did a monumental job of containing the fire, keeping it from impacting any other buildings. They are remarkable men and women who run toward danger to help save what we love – both our spaces and our lives – and we are grateful that none of them were injured in the firefight,” Weste continued.
Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) officials believe the fire likely started at Gary’s Auto Collision Center, according to Pauline McGee, LACoFD spokesperson.
Mark Haberman, a former customer of Gary’s Auto Collision Center, told KHTS he isn’t even sure his vehicle—which he brought to the shop over a year ago, expecting repairs to take between two and three months—is recoverable.
“I called my insurance this morning,” he said. “We’ll see if there’s any movement.”
Haberman is among several customers of Gary’s Auto Body who claim they paid for repairs or tried to retrieve their vehicles after no work was done, but the owner prevented them from accessing them.
More than a year later, Haberman said the vehicle remains largely unrepaired despite records showing approximately $20,000 was paid for the work, plus the cost of parts storage for his trailer and the cost of buying a new vehicle when the shop didn’t return his truck. Haberman estimates that the costs he has incurred tally up to well over $50,0000.
“I just want what’s mine,” Haberman said. “What’s the end of the rainbow to all this?”
Court records show that on May 22, 2026, Main Street Newhall, LLC filed a commercial unlawful detainer, or eviction, lawsuit against John W. Wright in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The case remains pending, with the next scheduled court hearing set for January 2027. The filing is separate from the customer complaints and civil litigation discussed in this story.
Wright is registered as the owner of two other service centers. Another mechanic’s shop owned by Wright, Halsey’s Auto Service in Canyon Country, also experienced a fire in 2025.
Newhall Refinery, a locally owned restaurant, posted a statement on social media Monday morning.
“We are still processing what has happened and waiting to fully understand the extent of the damage. Most importantly, we are incredibly grateful for the firefighters and first responders who worked tirelessly to protect our community, and we are thankful that our Refinery family is safe,” the post read.
A post shared by Newhall Refinery (@newhallrefinery)
A GoFundMe has been started to support the Tucker family, owners of Care Tucker, a Main Street clothing retailer, after the loss of their entire business. Care and Jonny Tucker, along with their four children, are left facing an incredibly uncertain future.
“Care and Jonny have poured their hearts into this family business, and they have always been the kind of people who show up for others when help is needed most. Now it is our turn to show up for them,” the GoFundMe read.
As of Monday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised over $29,900 of its $200,000 goal.
Firefighters are expected to remain on scene for several hours working to knock down the fire and cool the hot spots.
A post shared by KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 (@khtsradio)
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued the following statement regarding the fire, expressing her support for the business owners impacted by the devastating fire in Old Town Newhall:
“My heart goes out to the business owners in Old Town Newhall who woke up this morning to devastating losses. These are small businesses that are part of the fabric of this community, and for some owners, years of hard work and livelihoods were destroyed in a matter of hours. Our focus now is on supporting these business owners as they begin the difficult process of recovering and rebuilding.”
The loss of The MAIN, the only independent theatre venue in Santa Clarita, is a devastating loss to the local arts community, said David Stears, Executive Director of the Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival.
“The property damage is devastating; I feel bad for all the businesses,” Stears said. “It’s a devastating loss for a great landlord… it’s a devastating loss for the theatre community, the only independent theatre facility in our valley.”
Due to the fire, traffic in the surrounding area is heavily impacted.
Main Street between 6 and 8 Streets is closed. Railroad between Newhall Avenue and Lyons Avenue is closed.
As of 8:25 a.m. Newhall Avenue remains open; however, traffic is heavy.
Ed. Note: This is a breaking news story, more information will be added when it becomes available.
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