SOUTH LOOP — The owner of the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant vowed to rebuild after an extra-alarm fire ravaged the converted fire station Wednesday.
Owner Matthew O'Malley said he was thankful that no one was hurt in the fire at 1401 S. Michigan Ave. and that Chicago firefighters were able to contain the blaze.
"We owe it to our history, our team and our community to preserve this treasured Chicago landmark which will remain a cornerstone of the South Loop neighborhood," owner Matthew O'Malley said Wednesday afternoon. "Without hesitation or reservation we will rebuild! ... We look forward to serving you again soon."
Earlier, Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Jose Santiago said workers were using heaters to dry out the rooftop in preparation for fixing the heating system when the fire started, and highly flammable roofing material later caught fire. There also were four 100-pound propane tanks on the roof.
Fire crews learned of the situation at 10:20 a.m., when they were alerted to smoke billowing off the top of the restaurant. When they arrived they found "an enormous amount of smoke coming from the top," Santiago said.
The crews initially attacked the fire from inside but deemed the situation too dangerous before attempting to extinguish the fire from outside, Santiago said.
"We were hoping to stop the fire at the top but the fire began to spread" due to the roofing material, Santiago said.
No one was hurt in the fire, which was elevated to a two-alarm fire around 10:45 a.m. It was struck out around 12:35 p.m.
Though fire crews could be seen on the roofs of neighboring buildings, they were able to contain the fire to the eatery, he said.
"The only damage is to the restaurant. The walls are up. The second floor is up but the roof did collapse to the second floor," said Santiago, who said he worked out of the firehouse in the 1980s.
Witness Mark Gannon said he was dropping off a package at the UPS store down the street when he noticed the flames.
"All of a sudden all hell broke loose," Gannon said. "Cops started blocking traffic.
"You could see the flames coming up all the way from Roosevelt" Road, he said.
Gannon said the flames shot as high as 20 feet from the roof of the building. Around 11:50 a.m. the Fire Department tweeted that the building's roof had collapsed.
The building was designed by Charles Harmann and built in 1905, according to the restaurant's website.
It was built to serve the Prairie Avenue Community, which included prominent Chicago families such as the Fields, the McCormicks, the Palmers and the Glessners, the website said.
The yellow brick and limestone building became a restaurant in 2000.
Scenes from the movie "Backdraft" were filmed in the upstairs of the building, according to the restaurant's website.
The restaurant was the subject of a 2013 foreclosure suit against O'Malley, according to Crain's Chicago Business.
O'Malley is also co-owner of the Park Grill restaurant in Millennium Park, a controversial parkside restaurant near The Bean that the city has fought with over its low-rent lease.
1401 S Michigan now a 2-11 alarm. No injuries at this time. Will update ASAP. pic.twitter.com/ncnzTLCyEf
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) December 10, 2014
CFD on scene continues to work. Exterior attack continuing. Sections of roof have collapsed on 2nd floor.
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) December 10, 2014
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) December 10, 2014
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