Fire at Pushcart Cafe and Brave Troops Saturday

By Feroze Dhanoa and Liz Taurasi, Patch Staff

Tewksbury and other area fire departments were busy Saturday morning after two fires happened in the same plaza on Main Street right after one another.

The first fire, at the Pushcart Cafe started just after 11:30 a.m. in the kitchen when workers were preparing food on the stove, according to officials. Tewksbury Fire Chief Michael Hazel said the fire set off the sprinkler system in the kitchen which for the most part extinguished the fire. Firefighters arrived on scene to ensure the fire was out and began to evacuate smoke and water from the kitchen.

At the same time, a second fire started in the same plaza at Brave Troops Buffet caused by food left on the stove unattended, as workers left the building when the fire alarm went off at the Pushcart Cafe.

Hazel said both Tewksbury and Wilmington fire crews worked together to extinguish the second fire quickly.

Both businesses were closed to allow time for cleanup and restoration of services.

Several other businesses in the plaza were cleared of smoke and able to reopen Saturday afternoon.

No injuries were reported and mutual aid was called in from Andover, Billerica, and Wilmington for station coverage and assistance at the fire scene.

“The initial responding fire crews did a good job containing the fire and water damage to the affected businesses,” Chief Hazel said.

Photos courtesy George Abelli