A fire early Wednesday damaged the Brewhouse in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
Firefighters were called out to the bistro and brewery at 229 W. Montecito St. at about 3:40 a.m., said fire Battalion Chief Jim McCoy.
A neighbor had noticed an electrical smell and reported the fire, he said.
Upon arrival, crews found light smoke coming from the structure, and determined the interior was full of smoke.
“They forced entry through the front door, and found a small fire behind the bar area,” McCoy said.
The flames were quickly extinguished, and investigators were called in to determine the cause of the blaze.
“The cause of the fire is classified as accidental and is the result of a heat source located to close to combustible materials,” said Fire Inspector Amber Anderson.
The interior of the building sustained significant heat and smoke damage, McCoy said.
No injuries were reported.
A GoFundMe page, with a goal of $20,000, has been set up to benefit employees of the Brewhouse.
A statement on the page indicates the Brewhouse will be closed indefinitely:
“As family we are pulling together, supporting each other as best we can. But we are going to need a little extra help to get thru the next few months. Those of us who have been there for years would like to remain, but will need your help to stay afloat until we can re-open.”
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
