Firefighters stop blaze at downtown Riverhead restaurant

Firefighters from seven area fire departments battled a blaze at a downtown Riverhead restaurant Friday night.

The fire broke out in the kitchen at the Athens Grill at 33 East Main Street shortly after 8:30 p.m. The fire went up into a vent and spread to the roof, restaurant owner John Mantzapoulous said.

Riverhead firefighters responded and called in Jamesport, Flanders, Westhampton, Hampton Bays, Wading River and Eastport fire departments for mutual aid.

“The dining room was full. We were having an exceptionally busy night,” said longtime Athens Grill waitress Debra Walsh. “All of a sudden smoke started pouring into the dining room through the vents,” she said. “I got the customers out through the front door.”

Riverhead Business Improvement District Management Association president Ray Pickersgill said he had just finished eating dinner at the restaurant and was seated at the bar when he smelled what he thought was burnt toast.

“Then the waitress comes running out and says, ‘Get out. It’s a fire,'” Pickergill said.

Mantzapoulos told RiverheadLOCAL he tried in vain to put the kitchen fire out.

No one was injured in the fire. The crowded restaurant was safely evacuated. Electric and gas service to the building were shut down and Main Street was closed to traffic in both directions between Roanoke and East avenues.

“The whole place is pretty well trashed,” Pickersgill said. “It’s such a shame.”

The fire also damaged the shops to the east and west of the Athens Grill — the Mexicana grocery store and the Riverhead Vacuum and Sewing Center —  Riverhead firefighter Bill Sanok said.

The fire was brought under control by about 9:30 p.m.

The Riverhead fire marshal is on scene investigating the cause of the fire.

Photo captions: Scene outside Athens Grill tonight as firefighters battled blaze at the Athens Grill. RiverheadLOCAL photos by (top) Emil Breitenbach (bottom) Reilly Butler

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr. and Peter Blasl
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