Fire at Original Joe's in SF - Tiki Drinks and Food

C cynfulcynner Member Ocean Beach, San Francisco Joined: Mar 24, 2002 Posts: 1799	C cynfulcynner Posted posted on Fri, Oct 12, 2007 10:28 PM (Original Joe's isn't really Tiki but the place has a lot of fans here.) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/12/BA7NSP4LG.DTL Fire forces S.F.'s Original Joe's to close Kevin Fagan,Stacy Finz, Chronicle Staff Writers Friday, October 12, 2007 (10-12) 13:37 PDT San Francisco - -- The well-heeled, the less-well-heeled and the downright downtrodden won't be dining together at one of their favorite spots for a while: San Francisco's landmark Original Joe's restaurant was shut down by fire Friday. The Tenderloin institution will likely be closed at least a couple of months while repairs are made, said owner John Duggan. It would be the longest shutdown in its 70-year history. "Thank God nobody got really hurt," Duggan said Friday morning as he watched firefighters trudge through the front door that has been graced by mayors, rock stars and just plain folks in search of Original Joe's hearty portions. "But there's some tremendous fire damage. It's going to take a lot of work to rebuild." Workers said the blaze erupted at 10:47 a.m. in or around an exhaust flue above the kitchen of the restaurant, at 144 Taylor St., when the cooking staff turned on the charcoal cooker. As flames built in the ceiling area and surged out of the flue's rooftop opening, smoke began to fill the restaurant and the hotel rooms that sit above it. "The pipe from the charcoal burner started making a roaring noise, so we called the Fire Department," said longtime waiter Roger Miranda. "That's always a bad noise. When the smoke started, we ran out as fast as we could." The charcoal burner is always lit on Fridays to cook steak and fish, Miranda said.
S suzanne Member Oakland Joined: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 666	S suzanne Posted posted on Sat, Oct 13, 2007 9:52 AM aaaaackkkk! How horrible! I really hope they actually manage to re-open it. What a great place is Original Joe's. Suzanne
MT Mai Tai Tiki Socialite Exotic Isle of Alameda Joined: Mar 21, 2004 Posts: 1438	MT Mai Tai Posted posted on Sat, Oct 13, 2007 12:39 PM Ugh!!! That sucks! Good thing no one was hurt. I hope they get the place up and running again soon. And ironically, Mr. Smiley is in town this weekend! D'OH!!!

C

cynfulcynner Posted posted on Fri, Oct 12, 2007 10:28 PM

(Original Joe's isn't really Tiki but the place has a lot of fans here.)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/12/BA7NSP4LG.DTL

Fire forces S.F.'s Original Joe's to close

Kevin Fagan,Stacy Finz, Chronicle Staff Writers

Friday, October 12, 2007

(10-12) 13:37 PDT San Francisco - -- The well-heeled, the less-well-heeled and the downright downtrodden won't be dining together at one of their favorite spots for a while: San Francisco's landmark Original Joe's restaurant was shut down by fire Friday.

The Tenderloin institution will likely be closed at least a couple of months while repairs are made, said owner John Duggan. It would be the longest shutdown in its 70-year history.

"Thank God nobody got really hurt," Duggan said Friday morning as he watched firefighters trudge through the front door that has been graced by mayors, rock stars and just plain folks in search of Original Joe's hearty portions. "But there's some tremendous fire damage. It's going to take a lot of work to rebuild."

Workers said the blaze erupted at 10:47 a.m. in or around an exhaust flue above the kitchen of the restaurant, at 144 Taylor St., when the cooking staff turned on the charcoal cooker. As flames built in the ceiling area and surged out of the flue's rooftop opening, smoke began to fill the restaurant and the hotel rooms that sit above it.

"The pipe from the charcoal burner started making a roaring noise, so we called the Fire Department," said longtime waiter Roger Miranda. "That's always a bad noise. When the smoke started, we ran out as fast as we could." The charcoal burner is always lit on Fridays to cook steak and fish, Miranda said.

S

suzanne Posted posted on Sat, Oct 13, 2007 9:52 AM

aaaaackkkk! How horrible! I really hope they actually manage to re-open it. What a great place is Original Joe's.

Suzanne

MT

Mai Tai Posted posted on Sat, Oct 13, 2007 12:39 PM

Ugh!!! That sucks! Good thing no one was hurt. I hope they get the place up and running again soon. And ironically, Mr. Smiley is in town this weekend! D'OH!!!