The fire that was sparked last Friday morning at the Alki Homestead Restaurant will likely keep the historic building closed for at least six months, according to co-owner Tom Lin.

The fire, which is thought to be caused by too many Christmas lights plugged into one socket, caused approximately $400,000 in damages.

It broke out just after 5 a.m. Jan. 16, at the Alki Homestead Restaurant, 6717 61st Ave. S.W. There were no injurious and no one was inside the building.

"I think the place is pretty dark," said Lin last week, just hours after the blaze had been snuffed out. "It's all covered with smoke."

At about 5 a.m. Friday morning, Lin heard sirens from his Alki home. Curious, he followed them down the street. When the fire trucks turned down 61st Avenue Southwest, Lin's heart sank as he saw the restaurant up in smoke.

Fire fighters were able to put the blaze out in about 20 minutes. The fire had extended from the first floor all the way to the attic.

"Oh, my God. It's gone, it's all black. Everything is melted," said Lin as he walked through the charred remains of the dining room, Friday morning around 9 a.m.

Items were melted and wine bottles had exploded from the heat, he said.

Lin and co-owner Patrick Henley recently sold the business to a local chef who plans to do some remodeling. But Lin said he doesn't yet know how the fire will effect those plans, but that he was most relieved that no one was inside at the time of the fire.

A tenant once lived upstairs, but vacated several months ago.

At 8 a.m., shocked employees huddled around Lin outside as firefighters climbed up the roof to cover a 5-foot hole. Lin said he'd take care of his employees first, and, thank God no one was hurt.

"At least the checkbook didn't burn," quipped an employee, trying to lighten the tense scene.

Chris Long, general manager and chef, lives on 44th Avenue Southwest, and said countless phone calls awoke him and got him to the scene.

"No more fried chicken would be an understatement," he said.

"We're still in the middle of the sale of the restaurant," said Lin, who still will not name the new owner. He does not know how the fire will affect the sale.

"It's such an important restaurant to everyone," he said. Ironically Lin said he has been assuring the public that nothing will change with the restaurant. But now it seems everything has changed.

"It's horrible," said a visually shaken Melissa Watson, assistant manager and Homestead employee for nearly 15 years, who checked out the damage at about 8 a.m.

"It's really sad," she said. "I was just inside. All the curtains are melted off. I had a tissue over my face. My hands are black, and the tissue is black."

"This is her life, not just her job," said Lin of Watson with empathy. "She was comfortable here and happy."

Manoj Bhandari worked there for 18 years.

"I was here when Doris Nelson owned the place," said Bhandari. "She was very nice to me. I just worked yesterday night. I turned the lights and fireplace off before I left."

"I used to work at the Weston, too. But it's very slow there. This job was nice, and was taking care of my family. I live near Lincoln Park. I love this place. I came here from the south of Kathmandu in Nepal. Yesterday it was so pretty, but today it's so ugly."

January 20, 2009
Photo credit: Photo by Steve Shay

BEHIND THE SCENES. Firefighter clears debris from the Alki Homestead Restaurant's dining room after its devastating fire last Friday.