Applebee’s at Garden City Center closed for repairs after massive fire

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — A massive fire broke out in Cranston at the Applebee’s in the Garden City Center early Wednesday morning.

Officials confirmed the restaurant is a total loss as crews continue to clean up the mess.

“I got up at 5:30 a.m. and there were firetrucks all over the place in the parking lot here,” Father Anthony Vertelotti said. “I have never seen so many firetrucks in my life.”

It was an early morning wake-up call for about 45 firefighters.

“I saw the flames coming out of the roof,” Vertelotti said. “Thank God no one is in there to be hurt.”

Calls came in around 5:30 a.m. with heavy smoke coming from the roof area when crews arrived.

“They found heavy fire in the kitchen area,” Cranston Battalion Chief Gary Meinertz. “With an extension into the common attic space.”

The Cranston Fire Department explained the strategy they used to put this strong fire out.

“It was too dangerous to put firefighters in that building due to the extent of the fire,” Meinertz added. “The amount of fire over their head in the attic space, so they deemed it was going to be too much of a life and safety issue. It’s not a preferred way to attack a fire but in this particular instance the strategy worked well.”

Officials said there were cleaners inside of the Applebee’s who called the fire in.

They also said only a little bit of smoke spread into Bistro 22 next door but firefighters were able to stop the spread.

The fire was put out within a few hours, and no injuries were reported.

“We potentially could have lost a lot more than what we already did,” Meinertz said.

The fire remains under investigation.

Garden City Center said in a statement that Applebee’s will be closed for repairs for the time being.