Westville Restaurant Rebuilds After Fire

[Erik Sine]

Westville Restaurant Rebuilds After Fire

by Thomas MacMillan | August 24, 2009 2:19 PM

Electricians were due to begin repairing Chen’s Kitchen on Monday, after the ceiling and roof of the restaurant were damaged in a weekend fire.

The blaze began on Saturday at 11:08 a.m. at the Chinese restaurant on Westville’s downtown drag. Sparks flew in the transformer behind an illuminated sign attached to the building. The fire spread to the roof of 883 Whalley Ave., but was quickly contained, explained Steve Miller, a property manager for the building.

Inside the restaurant on Monday, the ceiling was completely gone and lights and wiring hung down everywhere. From the sidewalk, there was a visible hole on the roof and the upper third of the wall that fronts on Whalley Avenue.

“The fire department did a great job,” Miller said. Thanks to the quick reaction of firefighters, Chen’s suffered mainly from smoke and water damage.

“The fire went swell,” said New Haven Fire Department Chief Michael Grant. He said it was extinguished in under a half-hour.

The business was closed until the health department gives permission to reopen, said Deputy Fire Chief Ralph Black.

The business was fully insured and Miller said that he anticipates that the restaurant will reopen within a couple of weeks.

Adjacent businesses were not damaged by the fire.

[Brian]

more damage done to the neon trade by hacks!

[fishing nut]

more damage done to the neon trade by hacks!

I couldnt say it better myself. Where's the box for the transformer, is that green tape on the terminals. I bet it was just rested on the ceiling tile struts.

Do you think they will open back up and not fix the other hack installation. Then again it doesnt surprise me that it was a chinesse rest. If it is like here, a LOW cost CHEAP asian sgn shop made and installed the work. (thats what hurt the neon industry in NYC, fly by night oriental shops doing glass for pennies with cheap junk product (not just the glass and trodes but everything) I have seen those type of places have the kitchen workers do the install 'cause it was cheaper and they used masking tape and speaker wire.

[Doug Blair]

I wonder how many customers could have been hurt if that happened at a different time...wow...scary stuff...one fire was enough for me....