Fire damages restaurant in downtown Williamsport
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Taco Loco at 11 W. Fourth St. will be closed for at least a month after an early-morning fire Tuesday damaged their kitchen, according to city Fire Chief Sam Aungst.
While the fire was confined to the business, smoke seeped into the adjoining Casale's Sub Shop at 13 W. Fourth Street. as well as the hallways to upstairs apartments, activating some smoke alarms, according to tenants.
About a dozen tenants were evacuated from their apartments as a precautionary measure when the fire was discovered about 4:50 a.m., according to fire officials. All were eventually able to go back to their apartments, investigators said.
"The smoke never reached our apartments," one tenant said as he watched firemen put out the fire.
Firefighters were initially called to Casale's to investigate a reported gas odor, but upon arrival they discovered fire inside Taco Loco, Aungst said.
The fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes. There were no reports of injuries. Aungst said damage to Taco Loco could be close $20,000 as the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Firefighters from South Williamsport, Old Lycoming Township and Montoursville also responded to the scene.