Old Town Restaurant to Reopen Soon

Casa de Bandini, the popular and historic Old Town restaurant that was damaged by a three-alarm fire Monday night, may re-open as early as this week, restaurant management said Tuesday.

Damage to the restaurant, 2660 Calhoun St. in a historic building more than 160 years old, is not as extensive as originally reported, said Susan Carlson, an aide to Diane Powers, operator of the Bazaar del Mundo shopping complex.

One spokeswoman at Casa de Bandini said the restaurant hopes to open later this week after the building’s electrical system is repaired. But Carlson said: “From what I understand, it should be (open) by next week.”

Most Damage in Kitchen

Powers was not available for comment.

“Only about one quarter of the restaurant had fire damage,” Carlson said. Most of the damage was confined to the kitchen area and the roof.

“We were lucky because the dining rooms were not damaged. The Fire Department did an incredible job. . . . Even the water damage to the floors was minimal.” The restaurant’s dining room contains valuable Mexican antiques, expensive folk art and oil paintings, she said.

Firefighters responding to the fire Monday about 8:49 p.m. found the fire burning around a propane tank behind the restaurant’s kitchen. Because the building was constructed without fire stops--pieces of wood designed to stop fire from spreading vertically--flames spread up the walls and into the attic above offices on the second floor.

No injuries were reported, but about 700 diners had to be evacuated. “They had an hour waiting list for the restaurant that night. It was filled to capacity,” said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Larry Cooke.

Safety Question Raised

Cooke estimated damage at $150,000 and said the cause of the fire was a propane leak ignited by a pilot light in a nearby water heater.

Findings from an investigation by the Metro Arson Strike Team will be forwarded to the state fire marshal because the state-owned building is in Old Town State Park, according to Capt. Jim Smidt.

Smidt noted that “there were a large number of LPG (liquid propane gas) containers stored under a stairway” and said he would question the safety of storing them there if they were full.

But the building itself was of “excellent quality construction” and safety devices such as sprinkler systems were in place, he said.