Cause being sought after Sennett restaurant fire

Sep. 20--The cause of the fire that damaged Route 20 Grill & Tap Friday is still under investigation.

Sennett Fire Chief Sean Holmes said Saturday the call for the incident came in around 3:36 p.m. The bulk of the exterior fire was extinguished within five minutes of the various fire departments that responded there.

However, the fire extended to the attic space, Holmes said, which was resolved in around 20 minutes. He added that most of the damage was water damage due to the sprinklers, which worked, but there was smoke and fire damage as well. There were no injuries and everyone in the restaurant got out of the building by the time firefighters arrived.

The investigation of the blaze by Cayuga County Fire Investigators is ongoing, said Holmes, who added that whether or not the building is a complete loss or not will be determined by the insurance company.

Homes said he was glad the sprinklers and alarm protection systems functioned properly, saying that sometimes businesses don't maintain their systems.

"I think it's a testament to good property maintenance and conscientious business owners," he said.

Agencies that assisted include fire departments from Auburn, Fleming, Owasco, Aurelius, Jordan and Skaneateles, plus state police, AMR Ambulance and Cayuga County Emergency Management.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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