Fire damaged an Original Pancake House restaurant at 4833 W. Charleston Blvd. in Las Vegas.
Published Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 | 9:22 a.m.
Updated Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 | 12:11 p.m.
An early morning fire destroyed a restaurant that’s served breakfast to Las Vegas locals and visitors for 17 years.
At 2:53 a.m., a passerby reported seeing heavy smoke coming from the roof of the Original Pancake House, 4833 W. Charleston Blvd., west of South Decatur Boulevard, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
The first firefighting unit arrived to see heavy smoke coming from vents on the restaurant’s roof and requested additional units. Minutes later flames shot through the roof, indicating the attic over the entire building was ablaze, Szymanski said.
The fire was brought under control in about 15 minutes, he said.
Stephan Freudenberger, who with his wife is the local franchisee for the national restaurant, said this morning it was too early to determine what his plans would be for the Charleston Boulevard location.
Freudenberger said he and his wife arrived after his general manager called and reported seeing the business on fire on television news. The restaurant was closed when the fire broke out.
A fence is being erected around the burned-out building as investigators from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and the restaurant’s insurer determine a cause for the fire. Szymanski indicated that determination may take several weeks.
The restaurant opened in 1995 and employs about 25 people, many of whom had worked there since its inception. A second Original Pancake House location in Las Vegas, at 4170 South Fort Apache Road, remains open.
Fire officials had not yet determined a damage estimate.
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