Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Firemen battled dense smoke and flames, rain and near-freezing temperatures Friday night in an attempt to save Warsaw's Ponderosa restaurant.
The restaurant, at 2621 E. Center St., was destroyed.
Warsaw Fire Department was notified at approximately 9 p.m. of smoke in a restroom at Ponderosa.
By the time firemen arrived on the scene, the fire had spread to an empty area above the restaurant's ceiling, said Warsaw Fire Chief Ken Shepherd.
Several customers were in the restaurant at the time the fire was reported, but they were evacuated safely. There were no injuries.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.
The most difficult aspect of the fire, Shepherd said, was the smoke, which severely limited visibility for firemen attempting to battle the blaze.
The smoke also obscured visibilty for nearby traffic. At 9:55 p.m., Center Street, from Parker Street to U.S. 30, was closed.
The void above the ceiling caused the fire to spread quickly and made it difficult for firemen to reach the flames.
The roof of the restaurant collapsed at approximately 10:30 p.m. Firemen remained on the scene after midnight attempting to bring the blaze under control.
Firemen were able to escape the cold and rain by taking short breaks inside an ambulance, where they warmed up for a few minutes and drank coffee before returning to fight the fire.
Damage estimates were unavailable.
Warsaw Fire Department was assisted by firemen from Pierceton, Winona Lake, North Webster, Syracuse and Leesburg.
Local KEMRAD units helped with traffic control at the scene.
