Fire closes South End Diner
Posted Nov 17, 2011 08:57:05 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A fire has gutted a three-storey building on Barrington Street and forced the closure of the much-loved South End Diner.
Six fire engines, an aerial crew and up to 30 firefighters were called to 1124 Barrington St. around 10 p.m. Wednesday to battle a blaze which ripped through the building.
“It was a pretty serious fire,” spokesperson Dave Meldrum told News 95.7. “It had the potential, obviously. to spread to the adjacent building, but good work by crew prevented it from spreading into the building where the South End Diner is located.”
A fire investigation team was on the scene early Thursday morning to assess the extensive damage in the main building.
The diner is believed to have suffered only have smoke and water damage.
“There’s also some necessary damage done by firefighters,” said Meldrum. “We’re required to pull some of the walls and ceiling spaces to make sure that there’s no fire hidden behind. That damage should be pretty straightforward to repair. But how long that might take, I can’t say.”
The owners were at the scene Thursday morning asking to go inside, but were prevented by fire investigators. They declined to speak to media.
Ella Hudson was also surveying the damage following the fire. She says she lived above the South End Diner for 25 years and only recently moved out.
“It’s quite a loss,” Hudson told News 95.7. “I know this building is going to come down eventually but I feel bad for the people who own it because they just bought it recently. They have some nice girls working in the diner. It’s going to put them out of work for a little while.”
No one was injured in the fire and there’s no word on what caused it.
