Fire breaks out at Livingstone's Restaurant in Fresno's Tower District
FRESNO, California (KFSN) -- Heartbroken employees were shocked to see the charred inside of Livingstone's Restaurant and Pub Tuesday morning. A fire broke out at the popular Tower District Bar at around 5:00 a.m-- no one was inside.
Livingstone's has been in Tower since 1985 and employs more than 30 people.
"We're a family here, we've all worked here for a very long time and we're going to do everything the best we can. We're going to work together to get this place open as soon as possible," said Kortney Seiler, bartender.
The damage inside is extensive-- though the kitchen and other structural parts of the building are intact.
"The crews were able to make a very quick response, that's based on how they were able to get ahead of the fire and stop it. So we have a very viable building still," said Deputy Chief Don Macalpine, Fresno Fire Department.
As for how the fire started, officials have ruled out a natural cause or spontaneous combustion. Fire investigators believe it was either arson or accidental.
A Christmas tree inside Livingstone's was torched in the blaze but officials are not sure whether it was the cause or just helped fuel the fire.
"When it gets going, whether the first thing or in the midst of a chain of events, it puts out a lot of heat, a lot of energy, so its very destructive," said Macalpine.
No matter the cause, the owners and employees of Livingstone's said they are determined to reopen as soon as possible.
"We don't know too much, we don't know when that will be but we're going to do it and we're all working together," said Seiler.
Rapper Fashawn will be holding a holiday concert next door at Strummer's on Friday. A promoter for the event tells us they will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Livingstone's.
