Kitchen Fire Closes Downtown Restaurant

A downtown restaurant is closed following a fire in the pizza oven ventilation system.  Paisan’s Italian Restaurant in the 100 block of W. Wilson Street was preparing to open for the day when the fire was discovered.  The call for a working structure fire was dispatched at 10:57 am and the first unit arrived within two minutes.
 
Medic 1 was first to arrive and reported heavy grey and black smoke coming from a ventilation fan on the side of the high rise building.  They prepared for a fire attack and worked with Engine 1 to pull a hose into the building.  The fire was quickly extinguished using a small amount of water.
 
Other crews checked the building for smoke and fire extension.  No injuries were reported at the scene.
 
The fire caused approximately $50,000 damage to the building and $50,000 damage to the contents.  The restaurant will remain closed until repairs are made.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.