SAN ANTONIO – Fire damages popular downtown eatery
Tony Roma's sustained smoke, water damage
An overnight fire inside Tony Roma's restaurant at the Shops at Rivercenter mall has left the business with heavy damage.
The restaurant was not open when the fire broke out shortly after 1 a.m. Monday, and no one battling the fire suffered any injuries.
Fire officials said the fire started in a pile of towels on top of a cabinet. The fire spread to a storage area where wine and plastic containers were kept.
Firefighters who responded to the fire said the sprinkler system had gone off, dumping water on the flames but also causing water damage inside the business. There was about 2-3 inches of water on the floor of the restaurant.
Firefighters said the restaurant also sustained some smoke damage.
A hazardous materials team and an arson team were called to the scene to investigate, but officials said it appears the cause of the fire was accidental.
Officials said the restaurant has about $15,000 of structural damage and $10,000 in damage to its contents.
No other businesses at the mall were affected.