Grant
Administrator
HAMILTON -- A fire yesterday sent dozens of customers scurrying, resulting in the shutdown of Manetas’ Diner on South Broad Street for more than three months.
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"They’re closed," said DeCou Fire Chief Lou Crammer. "The kitchen’s pretty much gone."
Owner Dimitri ("Jimmy") Manetas said he’ll shut the popular restaurant, and do a $750,000 renovation now which had been planned in the Spring.
The 10:32 a.m. blaze was contained to the kitchen and the roof area, Crammer said.
"It was caused by an accidental grease build-up behind the stove."
Crammer said about 30 customers had to be evacuated. The blaze was brought under control by 11:09 a.m.
"The restaurant was full of customers," Manetas said. "We had about 100 people inside; it was in the morning, and the place caught fire in the kitchen. The holidays, this was the worst time of the year for this to happen to us.
"We close down," he said. "We have to renovate; it’s going to be a great new restaurant. I am sitting here with my friend, Mike Dimitriakis (of South Brunswick), he’s going to be the general contractor on the job. He’s going to rush this job as fast as he can to get this restaurant open."
Manetas said he had already applied to the township for permits to do the Spring renovation, "and today we happen to have the problem.
"It’s a big damage, but I don’t know exactly (how much); we cannot give you any numbers. But the renovations are going to be high ... we plan to spend $750,000."
Manetas said he wasn’t at the restaurant when fire broke out, but operator Bill Stathopoulos of Columbus was.
"We’d like to apologize to our customers, because we have loyal customers coming to this restaurant for many, many years," Manetas said.
"And our customers, they were so upset this morning when they saw the fire and everything. And they cannot wait for the grand opening of a new restaurant."
He said renovations will take about 3 to 4 months.
The fire was fought by DeCou, Whitehorse, Rusling, Colonial, Groveville, Enterprise, Hamilton companies, plus the Mission Fire Company out of Bordentown Township, Chief Crammer said.
Two minor injuries, "bumps and bruises," were dealt to firefighters, he added.
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"They’re closed," said DeCou Fire Chief Lou Crammer. "The kitchen’s pretty much gone."
Owner Dimitri ("Jimmy") Manetas said he’ll shut the popular restaurant, and do a $750,000 renovation now which had been planned in the Spring.
The 10:32 a.m. blaze was contained to the kitchen and the roof area, Crammer said.
"It was caused by an accidental grease build-up behind the stove."
Crammer said about 30 customers had to be evacuated. The blaze was brought under control by 11:09 a.m.
"The restaurant was full of customers," Manetas said. "We had about 100 people inside; it was in the morning, and the place caught fire in the kitchen. The holidays, this was the worst time of the year for this to happen to us.
"We close down," he said. "We have to renovate; it’s going to be a great new restaurant. I am sitting here with my friend, Mike Dimitriakis (of South Brunswick), he’s going to be the general contractor on the job. He’s going to rush this job as fast as he can to get this restaurant open."
Manetas said he had already applied to the township for permits to do the Spring renovation, "and today we happen to have the problem.
"It’s a big damage, but I don’t know exactly (how much); we cannot give you any numbers. But the renovations are going to be high ... we plan to spend $750,000."
Manetas said he wasn’t at the restaurant when fire broke out, but operator Bill Stathopoulos of Columbus was.
"We’d like to apologize to our customers, because we have loyal customers coming to this restaurant for many, many years," Manetas said.
"And our customers, they were so upset this morning when they saw the fire and everything. And they cannot wait for the grand opening of a new restaurant."
He said renovations will take about 3 to 4 months.
The fire was fought by DeCou, Whitehorse, Rusling, Colonial, Groveville, Enterprise, Hamilton companies, plus the Mission Fire Company out of Bordentown Township, Chief Crammer said.
Two minor injuries, "bumps and bruises," were dealt to firefighters, he added.