Restaurant fire in Hamilton causes over $1-million damage

By

Published November 25, 2022 at 10:21 am

No one was injured, but a structure fire the August 8 restaurant on the Central Mountain in Hamilton caused damage in excess of a million dollars late last night.

Hamilton Fire Department says it received a report of a structure fire around 12:05 a.m. early Friday (Nov. 25). The first arriving crews reported heavy smoke and flames visible from the roof area, at the front of the one-storey restaurant, and immediately upgraded it to a second alerm in order to bring more firefighters and resources from across the city. Two workers at the restaurant were able to, as HFD put it, “self evaluate” their physical conditions before the crews arrived.

Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe related on Friday morning that the front one-third of the restaurant’s roof collapsed. Firefighters pivoted to a defensive-exterior approach. It took about 45 minutes to bring the blaze under control. The cause of the blaze is not yet known.

“This was a well involved fire that was advancing through the attic and roof area of the building,” Cunliffe wrote in a media release.

“… Two aerial devices were utilized, providing large volume water streams on the fire,” Cunliffe added. “Additional staffed hose lines were deployed at ground level to augment the suppression operations. The fire was brought under control within approximately 45 minutes. The building has sustained significant damage including structural collapse. Initial damage estimates are in excess of a million dollars. Currently the cause of the fire is under investigation. There have been no reports of injuries.”

August 8 is an all-you-can-eat chain that serves Cantonese-style dim sum and Japanese sushi. It has a location in downtown Hamilton in the Centrepoint Plaza at 1 Wilson St.

(Photo: Hamilton Fire Department.)

INthehammer's Editorial Standards and Policies