Weekend fire damages Jenkins Deli in Cleveland
A well- known Cleveland, Tennessee, restaurant family got an unwelcome early Halloween trick when a fire broke out Saturday morning at Jenkins Restaurant and Deli.
A reopening date for the restaurant off 25th Street hasn’t been set, but crews are working to complete repairs as soon as possible, Jenkins general manager Doug Flack said Monday.
The fire started around 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the restaurant at 2390 Spring Creek Blvd., Cleveland Fire Department spokesperson Evie West said Monday via email.
When the restaurant opened early Saturday, a fire started “in the area of the fry vats,” West said.
The restaurant’s fire sprinkler system activated, “but the restaurant’s kitchen did sustain extensive water and smoke damage,” she said.
The restaurant’s owners posted a photo on social media late Saturday afternoon showing commercial crews arriving to start cleaning up.
“Thankfully, there were no injuries,” Flack said.
“The quick thinking by our opening prep cook and rapid response by the fire department contained the fire and
restricted the damage to the kitchen,” he said.
The restaurant, in various locations, has been an institution in Cleveland for more than 38 years, according to information on its website. It presently has a sibling operation in Athens, Tennessee.
“We are currently working with several companies to get repairs done as quickly as possible,” Flack said. “We do not have a date set for reopen at this time, but we are hopeful that it will be soon.”
Flack applauded kind words from customers and friends since Saturday’s fire.
“We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from our community,” he said. “We look forward to seeing our guests back in the restaurant.”