San Diego Queer Women’s Bar Set on Fire
A man arrested by San Diego police faces arson-related charges for allegedly setting fire to the queer women's nightclub, Gossip Grill.
A man suspected of arson was arrested last week for allegedly setting the awnings of a San Diego LGBTQ bar on fire.
Around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, October 20, San Diego Fire-Rescue crews responded to a fire at Gossip Grill, a nightclub that centers queer and transgender women as its primary audience.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in nine minutes, confining damage to the exterior of the building.
The fire caused approximately $10,000 in damage, Lt. Adam Sharki of the San Diego Police Department told San Diego-based FOX affiliate KSWB.
No injuries to staff, patrons, or first responders were reported.
“We were extremely lucky. San Diego Fire was here in a heartbeat,” Moe Girton, the owner and manager of Gossip Grill, said. “The awnings are fire-resistant, they didn’t burn all that fast.”
Girton said she was notified of the fire by a neighboring bar and was initially told that firefighters believed the fire to have been caused by an electrical issue.
But she was suspicious of such a claim due to the fire’s damage to the front patio awnings, which are not connected by any wires.
Ultimately, after reviewing the nightclub’s security camera footage, Girton said she was able to determine the cause had been arson.
“I was devastated,” she said. “We are one of the only queer women’s bars left in the country. We’re one of maybe 27 right now and the only one in San Diego. I hate to feel like someone is out to burn down our queer-safe bar.”
Later that day, around 1:45 p.m., a San Diego Police Department Metro Arson Strike Team investigator was on the scene collecting security video when the suspect, 38-year-old Ryan Habrel, was spotted nearby and taken into custody.
Habrel faces charges of arson to a commercial structure and the use of an accelerant, according to police. The arson is not believed to be motivated by anti-LGBTQ bias at this time, although the case remains under investigation.
Because only the exterior of the building was damaged, the bar opened as usual on Friday at 2 p.m. and was able to resume normal business.
“[I’m] very happy to know that this is not a hate crime, just a one-off,” Girton said. “We’re pretty resilient. We’ve been through a lot, and we’re pretty good at navigating situations as they come up.”
The bar has since received an outpouring of support and is holding a fundraiser to raise money to assist in recovery efforts.
“We are utterly speechless from the amount of kindness and support we’ve already received from you all,” the nightclub wrote in a Facebook post to its followers.
Anyone with additional information about the fire is encouraged to call the San Diego Police Department at 619-236-6815 or to submit an anonymous tip by calling San Diego Crime Stoppers at 619-235-8477.
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