Fire damages downtown Durham apartments, restaurant

A fire early Monday damaged a downtown Durham building that houses a restaurant and apartments.

Posted 10:40 a.m. Nov 4, 2013 — Updated 6:03 p.m. Nov 4, 2013

DURHAM, N.C. — A fire early Monday damaged a downtown Durham building that houses a pizza restaurant and several apartments.

Investigators are trying to determine what sparked the blaze about 1:20 a.m. at the building on East Chapel Hill Street. Chris Iannuzzi, deputy chief with the Durham Fire Department, said firefighters arrived to find smoke and fire on the roof. They thought the blaze was under control, but they continued to see smoke.

Iannuzzi said firefighters then found fire burning in a void space above one of the apartments. The ceiling collapsed into the apartment's living room.

Two other apartments sustained smoke damage, and Pizzeria Toro had water damage. Other business in the building – including Bullseye Bicycle and The Cupcake Bar – are closed as investigators and inspectors complete their work.

"It's been really great, but unfortunate things happen," said Rob Clites of Bullseye Bicycle. "Hopefully, we'll just roll with the punches."

The same building caught fire in April, when flames erupted in the duct work of Pizzeria Toro.

The fire displaced five residents, but no one was hurt.

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