A early morning fire in a basement located at 601 North Avenue has put two New Rochelle business owner’s on hard times. La Guadalupana Grocery & Meat Market and The Ionian Grill and Cafe suffered heavy smoke damage to the upper floor. Their basements were destroyed. The fire did not spread to the restaurant area of the Ionian Grill.
New Rochelle firefighters responded to an automatic alarm sounded around 4:15 am Monday morning. Upon arriving at the scene firefighters observed heavy smoke coming from the basement and from the storefronts. New Rochelle fireman went to work quickly to stop the blaze from spreading to a apartment building next door.
The chief on the scene called a 2nd alarm and all New Rochelle units responded along with mutual aid from Eastchester, Mount Vernon and Yonkers. In all, twenty-five firefighters were called to the scene and fought the fire for about an hour.
Fire Chief Lou DiMeglio said the fire was not suspicious. He said the fire broke out in the basement of La Guadalupana in a storage area. DiMeglio estimated the damaged to be about $40,000.
One New Rochelle fireman is being treated for possible heat related issue’s.
North Avenue is closed both north and southbound from Fifth avenue to Treno Street.
Some old time New Rochelleans will remember this was the former location of GARY’S Barleycorn, a world-famous college hangout.
It’s been a busy week for New Rochelle’s Fire Department. Also this morning, a House Garage Struck By Lighting In New Rochelle and on Friday there was an Early Morning Fire at Laundromat at 43 Drake Avenue Leaves Residents in Three Apartment Buildings Without Power