File. A firefighter uses a chainsaw to cut a hole into the north side of Social Gastropub.
J.D. Pooley | Sentinel-Tribune
PERRYSBURG — A state agency is investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a Perrysburg restaurant last month.
The State Fire Marshal’s Fire & Explosion Investigations Bureau is handling the investigation, according to Jennifer Jarrell, deputy communications director for the Ohio Department of Commerce.
At this time, it is still under investigation and a cause hasn’t been determined, she said on Wednesday.
“The investigator is trying to gather as much information as possible in an attempt to determine the cause of the fire,” she said.
Anyone with information should call the FEIB office at 800-589-2728.
Damages from the June 23 fire at the restaurant on Ohio 25 are estimated at $800,000, according to a Perrysburg report.
The estimated property loss was placed at $600,000, while content losses were estimated at $200,000. The pre-incident total value was placed at $1 million.
A drone operated by Perrysburg detectives collected thermal video footage of the scene.
Crews arrived around 2 p.m. and were on site for almost five hours, according to the preliminary report. Multiple 911 calls were received.
The report by Deputy Fire Chief Tom Granata Jr. stated when crews arrived, the single story commercial building was in flames.
“Upon arrival heavy smoke was pushing from the attic vents and flames broke through the roof within 90 seconds of arrival,” the report stated.
Fire ultimately broke through the roof.
“All interior crews ordered out. This became a defensive fire attack,” Granata said in the report. “Toledo Edison arrived on scene and secured lines into the building.”
Elevated master streams operated from two engines and a tower, with assistance from a blitzfire line.
After the bulk of the fire was out and the roof collapsed, Middleton Township crews were assigned to make inspection holes in the ceiling of the patio bar.
One firefighter was treated for being overheated.
Crews were requested to make an interior attack, to get at hot spots, but the structure’s integrity would not permit interior operations. Ultimately, a backhoe was used to get at hotspots.
Social Gastropub was started by Bruce Gradkowski, a University of Toledo quarterback who also played in the NFL.
