EUCLID, Ohio -- Fire Captain Tony Pellegrino confirmed to WKYC that the fire department was called out at 10:15 a.m. today for a fire at Mama Catena's Pizzeria & Ristorante at 711 Babbitt Road.
When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming from the end-unit eaves of the one-story strip mall. As they checked further, they saw a fire burning inside the closed restaurant near the back corner of the building and spreading quickly towards the front, Pellegrino said.
Other units in the strip mall were evacuated, Pellegrino said, and only minor smoke damage was sustained by units at 715-719 Babbitt Road.
The fire department received mutual aid from Willowick, Wickliffe, Richmond Heights, and South Euclid.
Pellegrio said the fire was out by 10:33 a.m. but the smoke and fire damage is extensive in the restaurant and estimates are still being made.
Pellegrino tells WKYC that says insurance company will be at the restaurant this coming week to assess everything, but he estimates a long recovery.
Mama Catena's was not open at the time and there were no injuries to any of the 30 firefighters who responded to the incident.
The fire is currently under investigation by the Euclid Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit
