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From VillageSoup.com | From MaineCoastNow.com

Fire damages Rockland restaurant

By Emily Sapienza VillageSoup/Knox County Times Reporter
(Reproduced with permission from VillageSoup.)

ROCKLAND (Sep 14, 07): The restaurant was empty when the Rockland Fire Department heard the alarm that the popular eating spot was on fire.

The auto alarm system alerted the fire department at 12:05 a.m that Café Miranda was on fire, Rockland Fire Chief Charles Jordan said Friday morning.

The Rockland Fire Department responds to a fire at Café Miranda in Rockland. (Image courtesy of Rockland Fire Department)

Rockland police officers were the first to arrive at the fire. They reported to the firefighters who were en route to the restaurant that smoke was exiting from the rear of the Oak Street building, Jordan said Friday.

When firefighters arrived shortly thereafter flames were coming out of the kitchen, Jordan said.

Café Miranda on Oak Street, after a Sept. 14 fire. (Photo by Emily Sapienza)

It appears that the fire started in the cooking equipment. The fire quickly spread to the ceiling and behind the hood over the stove, Jordan said.

Burnt debris on the street in front of the restaurant. (Photo by Emily Sapienza)

The fire is still under investigation. Maine state fire marshals were to arrive for an inspection Friday morning. Their report on the cause of the fire will follow. It took "significant digging out to extinguish the fire," Jordan said. Firefighters remained on the scene until approximately 3:30 a.m.

The fire spread behind the hood. A wooden strut supports the burnt ceiling beam, to hold up the second story of the wooden building. (Photo by Emily Sapienza)

The restaurant was "significantly damaged" in the blaze, said Assistant Fire Chief Ken Elwell on Friday.

The fire burned a load bearing wall of the building, Elwell said. Firefighters had to dismantle that wall to put out the fire.

Melted spice containers on a broken shelf. (Photo by Emily Sapienza)

"It burned up through," and charred the supports that hold up the second story, Elwell said.

"It doesn't look bad from the outside because all the damage is inside," Elwell said.

The burnt support beam over the stove and hood. (Photo by Emily Sapienza)

Restaurant staff arrived at the restaurant to see the damage for themselves and to take turns ensuring that the building was secured.

The owners of Café Miranda, Kerry Altiero and Evelyn Donnelly, are on vacation in Reno, Nev., but have been informed of the fire.

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From VillageSoup.com | From MaineCoastNow.com

Café Miranda owner works to reopen

By Erin Rhoda (Created: Thursday, September 20, 2007 1:28 AM EDT)
(Reproduced with permission from MaineCoastNow.com/Courier Publications.)

ROCKLAND — Kerry A. Altiero, the owner and chef of Café Miranda, is fighting fire with humor.

The staff of Café Miranda pose with loaves of bread that were charred from the fire Friday. From left are pictured Chef David Joseph, Chef Sam Ives, Managing Chef Paul Lombardo and Owner and Chef Kerry Altiero.

Café Miranda, located on Oak Street, has been closed since a fire caused significant damage at 12:05 a.m. Friday.

The fire was caused by unintentional human error on the part of the staff, Fire Chief Charles Jordan Jr. said, adding that oil was left on the stove. The cost of fixing the damage was unknown by press time, but it will take two to four weeks until doors reopen to customers, Altiero said.

Altiero and Evelyn A. Donnelly have owned Café Miranda, named after their dog, for almost 15 years. Altiero jokingly said the fire "was an act of dog." The dog's ashes, kept in an urn on a high shelf in the restaurant, were untouched by the fire.

Altiero was in Reno, Nev., when the fire occurred. Café Miranda's security system, designed by Protech Security, automatically triggered the emergency responders. The Rockland Police Department and the Rockland Fire Department responded to the scene and, according to Altiero, saved the restaurant from becoming a pile of ashes.

The café will host a benefit brunch, with proceeds going to a charity of the police and firemen's choice, Altiero said. He is debating what catchy phrase to give the brunch: maybe, "We smoke the competition," or "We're all fired up."

"Part of what we're seeing here is opportunity," Altiero said. "We have a great crew, and we're making this out of a mom and pop restaurant and into a managed business, with soul."

Altiero spoke about the outpouring of support he has received from the community.

"It's really humbling," he said. "When we make the food here, we put our emotion and ourselves into it, and now we see it coming back. People's care is genuine."

The staff, particularly chefs Paul Lombardo, David Joseph and Sam Ives, stayed at the scene of the fire all night Friday, he said, and past workers showed up to lend support. Joseph's wife bought donuts for everyone at the scene, he said.

Jacob Post of Midcoast Internet Solutions, located in Rockland and Newcastle, said he would come by to mop floors. Everett Spear of Spear Hardware in Rockland said he would help out anywhere he was needed. Altiero also wanted to thank Penobscot Company in Rockport and Turner Barker Agency in Portland.

"Come and eat the great food. It'll be better than ever," Altiero said. "We're not broken. Just bent."

Altiero will post updates on the repairs on the restaurant's Web site: www.cafemiranda.com.