THE GROUND.

JOANNA HERNANDEZ HAS THE STORY.

>> Reporter: SHE USED HER SAVINGS TO OPEN A RESTAURANT FOUR YEARS AGO , SHE NAVIGATED FINANCIAL STRUGGLES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND NOW SHE WILL HAVE TO START OVER.

>> I WAS HOPING TO SEE IT CONTAINED.

THE SECOND I SAW THE FIRE , I THOUGHT, IT IS OVER.

>> Reporter: ON A SATURDAY MORNING, SHE WAS TOLD HER RESTAURANT WAS CAUGHT ON FIRE.

WHAT DID THIS MEAN TO YOU ?

>> IT MEANT THE WORLD TO ME.

IT REALLY DID.

>> Reporter: THE ONCE VIBRANT MEXICAN RESTAURANT HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE AUGUST 6th BECAUSE OF FIRE DAMAGE.

SHE SAYS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.

>> OVER $80,000 , MAYBE MORE.

IT IS A BIG EXPENSE .

>> Reporter: IT LEAVES HER IN A TOUGH SITUATION.

SHE SAYS THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS DENYING HER CLAIM BECAUSE OF A CLAUSE IN THE POLICY.

SHE IS TRYING TO RAISE MONEY TO HELP HER BUSINESS RECOVER .

>> HELP OUT MY EMPLOYEES.

TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

REPORT LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A PLAN TO TURN THIS AREA INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

MEANT TO REPLACE THE BUSINESS CORRIDOR, FORCING HER TO RELOCATE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> WE WERE HOPING TO FIND A PLACE BY THEN IN THE AREA OR GO TO A NEW HOME.

NOT FAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.

>> Reporter: SHE HOLDS ON TO THE MEMBERS OF HER RESTAURANT.

YOU WERE INSPIRED BECAUSE OF YOUR FATHER?

>> YES.

IT WAS MY SAFE SPACE GOING UP.

BEST CHILDHOOD BEING IN HIS RESTAURANT.

I WANTED TO REPLICATE IT.

HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE.

>> Reporter: DESPITE COVID LOCKDOWNS, SUPPLY SHORTAGES , SHE HAS PUSHED THROUGH , THIS TIME HOLDING ONTO HER DREAM OF REOPENING.

>> START OVER AGAIN.

[