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Fire closes Eighth Ave. eatery

Blaze started in water-heater closet

A fire early Friday forced the evacuation of Macho’s south, a restaurant on East Eighth Avenue that just reopened Saturday.

Firefighters were paged at 9 a.m. A ladder truck and three engines responded. The fire was knocked down in about an hour.

Karola Hanks, fire marshal for Durango Fire Protection District, said the fire started in a water-heater closet.

“But I can’t say yet whether the water heater started the fire,” Hanks said.

Two employees were in the restaurant when one was alerted to the fire by the smell of scorched plastic, Hanks said. A customer apparently noticed the smell, too, and left, she said.

It would be handy to talk to the customer, she said.

The other three businesses in the strip mall were evacuated, but reopened Thursday, Hanks said.

No injuries were reported.

The fire closed East Eighth Avenue from Fifth Street to Santa Rita Drive for about an hour.

“It will be awhile before they can reopen,” Hanks said.

A test for asbestos, scheduled for this morning must be done before repairs can begin, Hanks said. The result of the test should be available Saturday, she said.

There were about 2 inches of standing water in the restaurant, Hanks said.

The water-heater closet will remain as is until insurance agents visit next week.

“They must be able to see the same evidence that I do,” Hanks said.

Macho’s south opened as Beto’s within the past two years. It was closed for several months before reopening April 12 under its new name.

daler@durangoherald.com



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