23 Jan 2013
A blaze tore through the heart of an Italian restaurant in Brighton at the weekend, leaving its owner “devastated” at the extent of the damage.
Pinnochio, on New Road, had to be evacuated after a fire started in the ground-floor kitchen on Saturday night.
Although no-one was injured, the conflagration required 40 firefighters and fire safety officers to bring it under control, The Argus reported.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said that the fire took more than three hours to completely extinguish, adding that it was a “tricky one to deal with”, and an investigation into the cause of the blaze is now under way.
The restaurant is likely to remain closed in the immediate future after suffering serious damage to the basement, kitchen and roof.
Owner Sue Addis, who also owns the Donatello in The Lanes, said that her aim was to get the restaurant reopened as quickly as possible.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, owners of commercial properties in England and Wales are required to carry out a “suitable and sufficient” fire risk assessment to identify potential hazards and make sure suitable safety measures are in place.
Failure to comply with this requirement can see the Responsible Person facing up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.