An “intense” fire broke out and was swiftly doused Tuesday at Calumet Fisheries, the beleaguered Southeast Side seafood institution. No injuries were reported.
The restaurant had recently reopened after city health department officials shut it down for several weeks.
Earlier, the roof was burning and crews were “going defensive,” meaning they were pouring water on the 1-story wooden building, 3259 E. 95th St., from the outside, according to fire department spokesman Larry Langford.
Shortly after 1 p.m., someone called 911 and crews burst inside but “it was going up pretty fast,” Langford said. Worried the roof, made of “old wood” would collapse, crews backed out as the fire quickly spread.
Though damage to the building was “extensive,” he added, it could be rebuilt.
“Oh yeah, we intend to rebuild so we’ll see what our insurance company says,” co-owner Mark Kotlick told the Sun-Times.
He said the fire was “bad timing” because it’s the holidays and business had been “booming” after the restaurant reopened over the weekend.
Kotlick said his cell phone began “blowing up” just after 1 p.m. and the store manager called him immediately when the fire erupted. The blaze started in an area where the power service comes in, he said, leading him to believe it was an electrical fire.
For now, the staff will have to check their coolers, fire suppression system, exhaust system, the fryers, the display cases. “Hopefully those items are good,” Kotlick said.
A fire investigation is underway.
The James Beard award-winning eatery was closed on Oct. 31 after the city health department found evidence of rodents, along with a dozen other minor violations, according to public health records. It then failed a re-inspection a week later when inspectors said evidence of pests was still present.
The 75-year-old restaurant was back in business Saturday.
