Hooters Fire Ruled Accident
By: Charlie De Mar
Updated: January 9, 2013
Last nights fire at the old Hooters restaurant has been ruled an accident.
Those who WFFT spoke with say the fire at the old hooters restaurant last night had them suspicious, especially after seeing furniture and other appliances removed from the old hooters throughout the week, but as it turns out the fire was an accident.
"It was kind of like a once in a lifetime thing to see for some people. It was for me," said Manuel Jimenez.
Manuel Jimenez is referring to last night's fire at the old Hooters restaurant on the 900 block of East Coliseum. Today Jimenez had the task of fencing off the scene.
"Firefighters had their ladders up here and they had a fire hose coming down and it was actually cool to see," said Jimenez.
Hooters suddenly closed its doors back in May, which led Jimenez to believe that the blaze was no accident.
"Hooters closed last year and I guess my first thought, I guess everyone's first thought was insurance fraud," said Jimenez.
However, that's not the case. The fire was caused by two construction workers using a heating tool to remove a kitchen appliance according to the Fort Wayne Fire Department. The workers evacuated the building unharmed
We reached out to the property owner to find out what the construction workers were doing inside the building, but he did not return our phone call. Jimenez says they were working on brining the building up to code.
"Supposedly, what I heard from some of the owners is that it was supposed to be a medical place," said Jimenez.
Fire fighters were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
