ORANGE — Firefighters from at least nine departments battled a second-alarm blaze that damaged the vacant Chinese restaurant on Route 2A on Wednesday.
Orange Fire Chief James Young said there were no major injuries at the Oriental House at 46 West Orange Road, although one firefighter was treated for a fall. Young said that firefighter was evaluated by EMTs and later returned to his job. The fire was called in at 11:13 a.m. and was under control by roughly 1 p.m.
Young said the fire is not suspicious in nature and was called in by workers at the scene, though he did not know what they were doing there. He said several tankers were required to truck in water to battle the fire because the building is outside the hydrant district. Water was pumped from two dump tanks brought to the scene. Young said the blaze is under investigation by a representative from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Robert Legare, the inspector of buildings in Orange, described the damage as extensive.
Police blocked off a section of West Orange Road and officers detoured vehicles, though the road had been opened to eastbound traffic by 3:30 p.m.
The fire damaged the back portion of the Oriental House. One section was heavily charred, while another was blackened. At one point, dark smoke billowed out of a side door after firefighters opened it to get into the building. Most of the firefighters worked behind the building, where they stretched fire hoses over brush that separates the structure from Route 78.
Several firefighters were seen kneeling in the area’s limited shade, staying hydrated with bottles of water and sports drinks.
The Orange assessor’s office listed the property’s owner as Lin Hua Zhang, who also owns Ce Ce’s Chinese Restaurant in Turners Falls.
Legare said there was no building permit for the work being done on Wednesday and the owner will be given a $100 citation because it is a first offense. Legare said the owner told him he wants to sell the building and was working to get it ready for sale.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 258.
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli