A fire broke out in the kitchen of longtime favorite Juliano’s Pizzeria on Wednesday afternoon in east Vancouver.
The fire seems to have originated in the pizza oven’s hood, owner Corey Terry said.
“It wasn’t too bad, to be honest,” Terry said. “The fire department was great. They were here fast.”
The restaurant, 15606 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., is currently closed but Terry said he expects it to reopen in a week, possibly two, depending on the insurance company’s assessment, the scope of restoration work and clearance from the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office.
Terry wasn’t on site when the blaze erupted, but he said two employees noticed the fire and called 911.
The Vancouver Fire Department was on the scene within four minutes, according to a press release from the agency. Eleven units responded to the fire.
Firefighters pulled hoses inside the building to extinguish the kitchen fire and used a ladder truck to ensure the fire didn’t spread to the roof.
“The same thing happened 12 years ago,” Terry said, noting that residue can build up inside the pizza oven hood over time.
Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli confirmed that the fire originated in the hood where oils in cooking vapors adhered to ductwork and created ignitable fuel. Scarpelli estimated the fire caused about $5,000 worth of damage. These types of fires can be prevented with more frequent cleaning, she said.
Juliano’s Pizzeria, which opened in 1987, is a favorite of Vancouver residents. Terry’s brief Facebook post about the fire — “Juliano’s unfortunately had a small fire today. We will be back open soon. A special thank you to the Vancouver Fire Department” — drew 175 emoji responses and a variety of comments.
One person joked, “Ya can’t be making the pizza too spicy.” Others chimed in: “Best Italian sausage on the planet!” “We adore you, so grateful for your resilience.”
Terry said he found those comments from customers encouraging.
“We appreciate their support throughout the last 37 years and we’ll be open soon,” Terry said.
