Diner's 3rd Fire Prompts Temporary Closure In Gloucester Twp.

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — After the second fire in a week and the third in recent months, Meadows Diner is making some renovations.

All three fires were small, but they had a common source that became a recurring issue: the neon lighting. As a result, Meadows Diner has temporarily closed to modernize the lighting system.

They hope to reopen in a week or two, says Chris Coraluzzi, the director of operations.

"A lot of restaurants are getting away from neons and going with LEDs for a couple reasons," Coraluzzi told Patch. "One, they're cheaper and less expensive to fix, and they're a lot safer than neons are."

The restaurant has been around since the 1980s, when it was called Blackwood Diner. About 20 years ago, the former owners put up a "false wall" containing transformers for the neon lights, Coraluzzi said. Over the years, the rubber pieces at the end of the transformers rotted away.

The issue first arose in September, with a fire by the lighting out front. After making some adjustments, diner ownership and management thought the issue was under control.

But the recent stretch of cold air and winter precipitation showed that some live electricity was still hitting two old transformers, Coraluzzi says. That's what caused the two ensuing fires, which happened Tuesday and a week prior.

• Related: Diner Fire Injures Firefighter In Gloucester Twp.

Since temporarily closing, the ceiling has been gutted for renovations. The electrical wiring has been replaced, and the old transformers are being removed.

"With the help of the fire marshals, we were able to get the actual root cause of the situation," Coraluzzi said, "and it's now in the process of being fixed."

Meadows Diner is located at 101 S Black Horse Pike, Blackwood.