Debris Fire Extinguished at Abandoned Restaurant

Responding to a Tuesday morning fire at an abandoned Manayunk restaurant, the extinguished a debris fire.

Crews arrived on Venice Island before 11 a.m. Tuesday to fight a fire at the vacant Carmella's Restaurant site. A fire official said it was a minor blaze, possibly caused by a person squatting in the massive, empty facility.

Debris quickly caught. When the fire department entered the building, no one was present. 

No injuries occurred. 

Though traffic impact on Main Street was minimal, trucks and SEPTA buses attempting to reach Flat Rock Road via the Leverington Avenue bridge were met with delays before the scene cleared up around 11:30 a.m.

Formerly Carmella's Restaurant and earlier the Arroyo Grill, the building overlooks Main Street and the canal at 1 Leverington Ave. In recent years, neglect has left the structure riddled with graffiti and broken windows, and most recently, a squatter's fire.

The property is owned by Dan Neducsin, who unsuccessfully attempted to transform it into condominiums after he said the restaurant was unsustainable. The Manayunk Neighborhood Council opposed the move, and it has sat vacant since.

NewsWorks.org recently ran an update on that stalemate. Click here for its report.