Fires Close Small Restaurants In Hoboken And Jersey City

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — In the past week, fires have rendered Hudson County residents homeless, stopped trains, injured firefighters, and closed restaurants.

(Do you have news about a restaurant opening or closing? Let Patch know so we can write about it, free!)

On Wednesday night, a two-alarm fire closed Caffe Buon Gusto, a small Italian restaurant on Washington Street in Hoboken.

The city's public safety spokesperson said firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at 918 Washington St. just after 11 p.m.

"Firefighters encountered smoke in the first-floor restaurant, Caffe Buon Gusto," officials said. "Residents in two units above were safely evacuated."

The fire was located in the rear of the restaurant and extinguished by 1:30 a.m., they said. The cause is under investigation.

On social media, the eatery told customers they would have to cancel reservations until the Fire Department says they can reopen.

"We hope to welcome you back very soon," they wrote.

GoFundMe

Meanwhile, Meryendang Pinoy, a Filipino restaurant on Newark Avenue in Jersey City, suffered a fire Monday night.

Their GoFundMe, called "Help a Small restaurant Recover After a Fire," raised more than $18,500 by Friday evening.

The owner's sister wrote, "Last night, a fire tore through my sister’s small, family-run restaurant, Meryendang Pinoy, and changed everything in an instant. Walls were broken to stop the flames, the heat is gone, and the space is not safe or presentable to operate. Right now, they have no way to open their doors and no income coming in.

"While they are working hard to make repairs and hoping to reopen, we don’t know when the walls will be fixed or when heat will be restored ... We’re asking for help to cover their rent and basic expenses while they try to recover."

The GoFundMe is here.