Oneonta's Undercover Eggplant damaged by fire, regulars hope owners can rebuild
By
NICOLE PITT
Story Created:
Jan 12, 2012 at 11:58 AM EDT
Story Updated:
Jan 12, 2012 at 10:16 PM EDT
ONEONTA, N.Y.(WTKV) - Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and a popular eatery sustained heavy damage following an early morning fire in the City of Oneonta.
According to the Oneonta Fire Department, crews were called to the Undercover Eggplant, an eatery located at 421 Chestnut Street around 1:23 a.m. on Thursday morning, January 12 for what they describe as "a very stubborn fire."
Firefighters fought the blaze until nearly 6 a.m., with 24 firemen from the Oneonta Fire Department responding to the general alarm fire.
"The fire was extremely difficult to manage because of the construction of the building," said Oneonta Fire Chief Patrick W. Pidgeon. "It had been altered numerous times, which made getting to the seat of the fire very challenging. It was very stubborn."
Chief Pidgeon said one Oneonta Firefighter sustained a minor shoulder injury in the course of battling the fire. Another firefighter also suffered minor injuries.
Oneonta was assisted by FAST teams from Worcester and Franklin. The Otego Fire Department provided coverage at the Oneonta station. While there, Otego responded to a one-car accident on I-88, in which there were no injuries. Otego and Franklin also responded to a minor outside fire at 346 Chestnut Street.
The Undercover Eggplant sustained heavy damage, but may be salvageable, Chief Pidgeon said. Investigators have determined the fire started inside the motor of a freezer that was in a storage room.
Kris Werkheiser lives nearby, she heard the fire trucks arrive at the scene in the middle of the night. "I was awoken by sirens coming down Chestnut Street and all of the sudden I heard them stop and I said, hey, this fire is close- what's going on?"
Customers who were unaware of the fire, started showing up for lunch. "We were just going to have lunch together," said Michelle Hendley. "This is one of our favorite places to eat lunch. We were unaware there was a fire last night, so we are a little bit surprised and sorry to see this damage." Hendley says she eats at the Undercover Eggplant at least once a year. She hopes the owners can rebuild. "I feel really bad for the owners as well and the whole staff because they work so hard to provide a great atmosphere and a great product," said Hendley.
"It's a very big loss for the community," says Werkheiser. "I would love to see them rebuild."
The owners are expected to meet with the insurance company on Friday. On the website for the company, the owners posted that they do plan to rebuild.
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