Story by: Katie Kyros
Fire crews in Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County spent hours Sunday night battling a four-alarm fire. It broke out around 6 p.m. at Visaggio’s Ristorante on Wertzville Road. The restaurant has been in business for decades and is now a total loss.
The fire started in the back of the building, around the kitchen. What made the fire so difficult to fight was that there was no public water in the area, so firefighters had to bring in tankers. They say the flames quickly got worse with the wind blowing.
FOX43 is told the restaurant was closed when the fire broke out, There were a few employees inside; everyone got out of the building safely.
“The owner, possibly the wife of the owner was here, and was going around trying to get people out, she’s evidently been accounted for at this point. There was one resident, I believe who lives in the motel section, and he was out here by the fence so he was out and away,” says John Bruetsch, Cumberland County Public Information Officer.
Wertzville Road between Lambs Gap Road and Route 114 remains closed at this hour and traffic is restricted on other streets around the area too.
Fire crews say they are going to be at the scene most of the night. They’re worried about the wind causing hotspots to flare up. The cause is under investigation.