Fire at Riley's Cafe
Fire at Riley’s Cafe
There is extensive damage to Riley's Cafe, 836 1st Avenue NE, after a fire was reported this afternoon at 3:35 p.m. Fire crews made entry and found fire above the kitchen area in both a drop-down ceiling and the attic. Flames actually breached the roof of Riley's Cafe near the City Wide Cleaners side of the building as firefighters were on scene.
There is significant fire, heat and smoke damage to Riley's Cafe. There does not appear to be any fire damage to the adjacent businesses, which are Citywide Cleaners and Moose McDuffy’s. However, Moose McDuffy's has significant smoke damage.
The fire was determined to be under control at 4:50 p.m. This was a three-alarm fire, which means that six fire engines, a ladder truck, rescue truck and command vehicles, as well as 30 firefighters, were at the scene battling the fire. Hiawatha Fire Department sent a fire engine and 3-person firefighter crew as part of mutual aid.
The fire extended within the drop-down ceiling compartment and attic areas. Firefighters had significant overhaul as they had to remove insulation and portions of the roof to check for fire extension. A large portion of the roof of Riley’s Café has been destroyed.
One Cedar Rapids firefighter was transported to St. Luke's for a heat-related illness. The illness is non-life-threatening.
Riley's Café was closed at the time of the fire.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
The heavily traveled section of 1st Avenue East between 7th Street and 10th Street was closed from the time of the fire until approximately 6:00 p.m.
