ATLANTA — A restaurant fire that started in a downtown restaurant spread to a second business next door Sunday morning, officials said.
According to Atlanta Fire Department Sgt. Cortez Stafford, Atlanta fire crews were called out at about 7:55 a.m. to the 255 Tapas Lounge at 255 Peters Street SW in the city's Castleberry Hill neighborhood.
When they arrived, fire crews found a blaze that had also spread to an adjacent restaurant, the Pearl Restaurant and Lounge.
Stafford said that about 40 firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire, which was brought under control by about 8:30 a.m.
The 255 Tapas building received heavy damage, according to Stafford.
Investigators have not determined a cause for the fire as of this point, but Stafford said it is believed the fire started in the rear of the 255 Tapas building.
Just two years ago, in July 2017, the roof of the building on the opposite side of the 255 Tapas restaurant, the former Blu Cantina Lounge at 257 Peters Street, collapsed on top of patrons who were dining inside the restaurant.
About 30-to-35 people were inside the restaurant when the cave-in occurred, which left six people hurt.
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