The Reading fire marshal’s office is trying to determine what caused a weekend fire that caused significant damage to a Glenside pizzeria that shared space with a recently opened candy shop/ice cream bar.
The fire was discovered about 6:30 a.m. Saturday at 440 Lehigh St. Though the fire was contained to the first-floor commercial space, it gutted the kitchen and left the entire interior with heavy smoke damage, Fire Marshal Jeremy Searfoss said.
He estimated damage at $225,000, including the loss of products at the restaurant, Frank’s Trattoria, and the store, Sugar Shack Candy Bar.
The commercial area won’t be able to be occupied until significant repairs are done, Searfoss said, adding that the interior space may have to be completely reconstructed.
Investigators are looking into whether heat from pizza ovens that were left on overnight may have ignited nearby combustible material, the fire marshal said, but he noted there are several potential ignition sources.
Sugar Shack plans to reopen at an alternative location, according to a post on its Facebook page, which indicated details were being worked out and an announcement would follow.
An earlier post by Sugar Shack stated that the fire caused a total loss to the business, but the loss is insured and it expects to reopen in a few months.
Source: Berkshire mont