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The blaze began on Wednesday morning, June 14 around 4:20 a.m., when a Peekskill city employee who was assigned to a street sweeper vehicle noticed smoke coming out of a commercial building at 1 Bank St., according to Peekskill Fire Chief James Seymour.
Crews then soon arrived at the building, occupied by Burger Diner, and discovered that the fire had begun in a kitchen area and extended to the common attic space that is shared by three stores in the building.
An aggressive response by firefighters managed to keep the blaze contained to the eatery where it originated, Seymour said, adding that the restaurant was significantly damaged but that the other stores in the building were kept safe.
The fire was eventually determined to be electrical in nature. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze.
Seymour thanked the city employee who first noticed the smoke pouring out of the building.
"If it was not for his alertness, the fire likely would have been far more advanced before detection," Seymour said.
Although the quick response prevented the blaze from spreading to other stores in the building, the owners of Burger Diner said the eatery would be closed for an "extended period" while they assess the damage and make repairs.
Owner Margarita Lopez has since started a GoFundMe fundraiser page to collect donations to go toward the repairs.
"Your generosity will play a vital role in helping us rebuild and continue serving this wonderful community," she wrote.
Those interested in donating to the GoFundMe page can do so by clicking here.
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