Workers escape South Bend restaurant fire
Posted: Feb 7, 2012 1:06 PM EDT | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 6:36 PM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Employees at a South Bend rushed out of the building in time after a fire started early Tuesday morning.
Fire engines lined the streets, blocking traffic across from John Adams High School, as crews put out flames at Jeannie’s House, located on the corner of Twyckenham and Mishawaka Avenue.
Flames were through the roof and heavy smoke was pouring out of the building when crews got to the scene around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Battalion Chief Carl Buchanon said workers were inside the restaurant when the fire started, but no one was hurt.
Buchanon said since the diner is located on the corner, crews were able to put out the fire quickly, but he added the size of the building worked slightly to their disadvantage.
“It made it a little tedious for all of our personnel to get in there and do the work that needed to be done,” said Buchanon.
Buchanon said nearby neighbors and businesses were quick to offer a helping hand to the displaced restaurant workers.
“It’s nice to know that you have a lot of concerned citizens that were able to give information and offer assistance to the workers that was here ,” said Buchanon. “Like this business here, across the street. They opened up to make sure that the workers could go inside to keep warm and offer any assistance that they could.”
Investigators were still trying to pinpoint the cause of the fire Tuesday morning.
Officers reopened traffic around 7:20 a.m.