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The community is showing its support for the owners and employees of the Peter Pan Diner in Bay Shore after the restaurant was destroyed in an overnight fire.
Firefighters were called to the building, located at 999 Sunrise Highway, just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, July 2, for a commercial fire.
The first crews on scene were initially slowed due to the Suffolk County Water Authority working on a nearby fire hydrant from an earlier water main break, ABC7 reports. They had to use one three blocks away instead.
After establishing a water line, firefighters spent nearly two hours working to extinguish the flames and hot spots, according to the Islip Fire Department.
Photos shared on social media showed a large portion of the building was affected, with heavy flames and thick smoke shooting from the restaurant’s roof.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury to their hand and was treated at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore.
Firefighters are still working to determine what caused the fire, though Michael Mierzwa, the son of an employee, speculated that it may have been electrical related on a GoFundMe campaign.
The fire and subsequent closure of the business has left loyal customers and employees devastated, Mierzwa said.
“This unexpected tragedy has left many workers unemployed including my own mother and our very close friends that we consider family who are scared for the future of their careers and providing for their families,” he said.
“The Peter Pan Diner and its employees are loved by so many in the community and we are kindly asking you to donate to support these amazing and hardworking employees to stay afloat during this difficult time.”
Prior to the fire, the diner hadn’t closed a single day since opening in 1955, owner Peter Lentzeres told ABC7, adding that it could take months to reopen the business.
He told the outlet that he’s in the process of assessing the damage and hopes to reopen in time for the diner’s 70th anniversary next year.
GoFundMe has verified the following fundraisers that were created to assist employees impacted by the fire:
Support Peter Pan Diner's Devastated Staff
Support Michele Through Diner Fire Crisis
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