Firefighters suspect a heat buildup in a vent was the source of a smoky, two-alarm fire at a popular Market Square eatery on Saturday morning.
Firefighters said they had the fire at Winghart's Whiskey & Burger Bar under control in about 20 minutes.
“We just had the vent checked,” said general manager Robert Belue.
It wasn't clear Saturday how long the business could be closed.
Firefighters said there were no injuries.
Two prep cooks fled the restaurant shortly after 11 a.m., according to Belue.
Belue said that damage to the building was contained to the fourth floor, which had been vacant, and the third floor, which had an office and utility room, mainly used for storage.
Authorities blamed a September 2012 fire at the Market Square restaurant on an exhaust vent. It closed the business for about two months.
A February fire at NOLA, a few hundred feet away in Market Square, started in ductwork above a pizza oven there. Pittsburgh Fire officials said the cause was a build-up of creosote in the duct work above a pizza oven.
NOLA reopened in July.
A Sept. 6 fire closed Morton's The Steakhouse on Liberty Avenue. A recording at the business said the fire damaged the exhaust system, and the restaurant could reopen this month.
Bill Vidonic is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5621. or bvidonic@tribweb.com.
