TULSA, Okla. — Fire investigators are still searching for answers behind a fire that devastated a popular downtown go-to spot.
The daylight, along with drone video, gives a clearer look at the devastation from Saturday night’s fire at the building that houses apartments and two restaurants, Lowood and Hodges Bend.
The second floor housing the apartments is gutted but the façade is intact. So much so, it’s difficult to see damage from the ground.
That’s why guests across the street at Amy Johnson-McMillin’s East Village Bohemian Pizza weren’t initially concerned.
“A lot of people thought, ‘oh, it’s just a little fire,’ [because] all they could see was smoke,” said Johnson-McMillin. “Then, one truck, two trucks, eventually, 18 fire trucks.”
Amy is busy Monday cleaning off soot and other minor messes, but nothing impacting business operations. She can’t believe her neighbors are going through this. They are close—particularly post-pandemic.
“We hung out together, ate and drank together,” she said. “It’s a close-knit community—it’s just shocking.”
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Fire crews will monitor hot spots for at least 24 hours and there is a gate perimeter set up.
“There’s a security company here making sure citizens don’t wander in,” said Tulsa Fire Department’s Public Information Officer, Andy Little. “That could potentially be a dangerous building to be in.”
Little says a first look indicated that the fire started in one of the restaurants but no cause is determined.
He met with business owners and the property owner. While the second floor apartments are destroyed, restaurant business owners seem optimistic on a rebuild.
“They like where they are and they like the community and hoping to move forward,” said Little.
There is also some water damage to adjacent businesses and apartments but they were largely protected by a firewall.
TFD is uncertain how many apartment dwellers are displaced, but no one was hurt.
There is a GoFundMe set up to help the restaurant and its employees. It has already well-surpassed its goal of $20,000.
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