‘Nightmare’ fire leads to brief closure
Fire damage at popular Wellington restaurant The Bresolin was worse than initially thought and it will remain closed for up to two weeks, its co-owner says.
The restaurant’s extraction fan and pipe system will have to be replaced after a fire started in an extraction unit and spread through the ventilation system on Sunday morning.
The restaurant will remain closed until at least March 26, but may not reopen for up two weeks, co-owner Leonardo Bresolin said yesterday.
It is ‘‘probably any hospitality owner’s worst nightmare.’’
Initially Bresolin and co-owner brother, Lorenzo, thought they could get the place up and running by Monday evening after some clean up. However, after further inspection on Monday, he said there was more damage than first thought.
‘‘From the outside, the place looks fine,’’ Leonardo Bresolin said.
Although ‘‘wheels are in motion’’ to get the eatery open as soon as possible, the work will force the popular restaurant to close all services and cancel booked functions.
‘‘Hopefully we’ll be up and running at full noise by Friday next week,’’ Leonardo Bresolin said.
Smoke was seen billowing from the building at 11am on Sunday, and sirens could be heard around the city as fire crews rushed to the scene. The fire was controlled in less than an hour and staff were allowed back into the premises soon after midday.
Restaurant manager Juno Miers, was in the restaurant when the fire broke out and helped evacuate the 10 staff and five customers. She said the extraction fan above the woodfire grill had caught fire.
The fire spread through the extraction units. Kitchen staff tried to put it out with an extinguisher, but called the fire service and evacuated everyone when it became too big.
The cause is still investigated. being