Grant
Administrator
Late-Night Fire Wrecks Lakewood Restaurant
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
Firefighters battle a blaze at Ye Olde Anchor Inn on Chautauqua Avenue in Lakewood early Tuesday morning. P-J photo by Patrick L. Fanelli
7/12/2006 - LAKEWOOD — The Lakewood Fire Department threw every piece of equipment it had against a fire that broke out at Ye Olde Anchor Inn bar and restaurant on Chautauqua Avenue early Tuesday morning.
The smoke was heavy throughout the neighborhood and flames were visible in back, but firefighters contained the blaze before it could erupt out of control and spread to neighboring buildings.
‘‘If we didn’t have rain today and if there was any sort of wind, this thing would have been a mess,’’ said Sue West, a neighbor two doors down.
It also helped that the Lakewood Fire Department is located right up the street, allowing firefighters to respond within three or four minutes of the call, according to Jack Knowlton, fire chief.
‘‘There was heavy smoke all over, visible flames. We confined it pretty quick,’’ he said. ‘‘It never got outside the building. The exposures weren’t threatened.’’
Two buildings neighbor the Anchor Inn — an insurance company to the south and a residence to the north, each divided from the restaurant by a narrow alleyway. Next-door neighbor Brenda Stoltz was so close to the fire she thought it was her own home ablaze when her dog Britney began barking, waking her up at roughly 1:45 a.m.
‘‘The dogs — I thought they were horseplaying, but then I smelled the smoke,’’ she said from her vantage point across the street as firefighters fought the blaze. ‘‘This is some scary (stuff).’’
She woke up her husband, her son and her parents, who were visiting for a few days from Pennsylvania.
‘‘Brenda woke us all up. We thought the apartment was on fire,’’ said her husband, Michael. ‘‘The whole alley was covered with smoke.’’
At 1:47 a.m., Brenda called the fire department. Hearing the commotion, neighbors began appearing around Yesterday’s Restaurant and Lounge and the Wilson Farms across the street. Fire officials evacuated the four apartments in Ms. West’s building, since the smoke emanating from the Anchor Inn was so thick it endangered the occupants sleeping inside.
‘‘I was sleeping. I heard the fire trucks. I thought it was my building,’’ Ms. West said.
Within a few minutes, the Alta Street transformer at the top of a telephone poll exploded in sparks, which National Grid workers attributed to broken wires caused by the fire.
‘‘I saw a big poof,’’ said Allison Langworthy, one of the younger residents of Chautauqua Avenue. ‘‘Then the lights went out.’’
By Tuesday morning, National Grid workers were well on their way to restoring power to the area. Tammy James, Anchor Inn owner, could be found outside the establishment surveying the damage. The fire took out the kitchen and one bathroom and caused extensive damage in the basement, according to Knowlton.
Ms. Jones said it was too early to know whether insurance would cover repairs or how long it would take for the Anchor Inn to reopen. She didn’t have much to say beyond thanking her customers for all their support during the 10 years that she’s operated the bar and restaurant.
It wasn’t the only fire to hit that area of Chautauqua Avenue, though. A smaller electrical fire broke out at the Anchor Inn two years ago, and before that the Post Office next door burned to the ground.
Knowlton couldn’t say for sure what caused Tuesday morning’s fire, or whether it started in the kitchen or in the basement.
‘‘I wouldn’t even want to guess that right now,’’ he said.
He did, however, suspect it was once again an electrical fire.
The Lakewood Fire Department responded with every vehicle it had, filling Chautauqua Avenue with fire trucks and hoses. The Busti Fire Department was standing by in case another call came through in Lakewood. The Celoron Fire Department also responded, and Chautauqua County authorities assisted with the investigation.
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
Firefighters battle a blaze at Ye Olde Anchor Inn on Chautauqua Avenue in Lakewood early Tuesday morning. P-J photo by Patrick L. Fanelli
7/12/2006 - LAKEWOOD — The Lakewood Fire Department threw every piece of equipment it had against a fire that broke out at Ye Olde Anchor Inn bar and restaurant on Chautauqua Avenue early Tuesday morning.
The smoke was heavy throughout the neighborhood and flames were visible in back, but firefighters contained the blaze before it could erupt out of control and spread to neighboring buildings.
‘‘If we didn’t have rain today and if there was any sort of wind, this thing would have been a mess,’’ said Sue West, a neighbor two doors down.
It also helped that the Lakewood Fire Department is located right up the street, allowing firefighters to respond within three or four minutes of the call, according to Jack Knowlton, fire chief.
‘‘There was heavy smoke all over, visible flames. We confined it pretty quick,’’ he said. ‘‘It never got outside the building. The exposures weren’t threatened.’’
Two buildings neighbor the Anchor Inn — an insurance company to the south and a residence to the north, each divided from the restaurant by a narrow alleyway. Next-door neighbor Brenda Stoltz was so close to the fire she thought it was her own home ablaze when her dog Britney began barking, waking her up at roughly 1:45 a.m.
‘‘The dogs — I thought they were horseplaying, but then I smelled the smoke,’’ she said from her vantage point across the street as firefighters fought the blaze. ‘‘This is some scary (stuff).’’
She woke up her husband, her son and her parents, who were visiting for a few days from Pennsylvania.
‘‘Brenda woke us all up. We thought the apartment was on fire,’’ said her husband, Michael. ‘‘The whole alley was covered with smoke.’’
At 1:47 a.m., Brenda called the fire department. Hearing the commotion, neighbors began appearing around Yesterday’s Restaurant and Lounge and the Wilson Farms across the street. Fire officials evacuated the four apartments in Ms. West’s building, since the smoke emanating from the Anchor Inn was so thick it endangered the occupants sleeping inside.
‘‘I was sleeping. I heard the fire trucks. I thought it was my building,’’ Ms. West said.
Within a few minutes, the Alta Street transformer at the top of a telephone poll exploded in sparks, which National Grid workers attributed to broken wires caused by the fire.
‘‘I saw a big poof,’’ said Allison Langworthy, one of the younger residents of Chautauqua Avenue. ‘‘Then the lights went out.’’
By Tuesday morning, National Grid workers were well on their way to restoring power to the area. Tammy James, Anchor Inn owner, could be found outside the establishment surveying the damage. The fire took out the kitchen and one bathroom and caused extensive damage in the basement, according to Knowlton.
Ms. Jones said it was too early to know whether insurance would cover repairs or how long it would take for the Anchor Inn to reopen. She didn’t have much to say beyond thanking her customers for all their support during the 10 years that she’s operated the bar and restaurant.
It wasn’t the only fire to hit that area of Chautauqua Avenue, though. A smaller electrical fire broke out at the Anchor Inn two years ago, and before that the Post Office next door burned to the ground.
Knowlton couldn’t say for sure what caused Tuesday morning’s fire, or whether it started in the kitchen or in the basement.
‘‘I wouldn’t even want to guess that right now,’’ he said.
He did, however, suspect it was once again an electrical fire.
The Lakewood Fire Department responded with every vehicle it had, filling Chautauqua Avenue with fire trucks and hoses. The Busti Fire Department was standing by in case another call came through in Lakewood. The Celoron Fire Department also responded, and Chautauqua County authorities assisted with the investigation.